In this study, effectiveness of the three mouth rinses (chlorhexidine, benzydamine hydrochloride, cetylpyridinium chloride), which have various chemical agents, was evaluated by comparing with each other and with placebo group. 40 patients, who had ages ranged between 12 and 16 years, composed three treatment groups (0.2% chlorhexidine, 0.15% benzydamine hydrochloride, cetylpyridinium chloride) and the placebo group (sterile isotonic solution containing 0.9% sodium chloride) with 10 patients in each group. After the plaque accumulation indexes, gingival indexes and bleeding indexes of the patients had reached zero, the records were retaken in the latter first, second and third months. Paired t-test was used to determine the intragroup differences of plaque accumulation indexes, gingival indexes and bleeding indexes at different time intervals. Student t test was used to determine the intergroup differences. Pearson test was used to determine the correlations between different parameters. When the plaque accumulation indexes, gingival indexes and bleeding indexes were evaluated, it was determined that the highest values were observed in the first month and the lowest values were observed in the third month. When the plaque accumulation indexes were compared, there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between placebo group and chlorhexidine group in the second month; there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between placebo group and cetylpyridinium chloride group in the second month. When the gingival bleeding indexes were compared, there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.01) between placebo group and chlorhexidine group in the second month; there was a statistically significant difference between placebo group and benzydamine hydrochloride group in the second month (p<0.05) and in the third month (p<0.001); there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between benzydamine hydrochloride group and cetylpyridinium chloride group in the second month (p<0.01) and in the third month (p<0.05). Positive correlation was found between different indexes and negative correlation was found between indexes and time. As a result, mouth rinses improved oral hygiene of the orthodontically treated patients.

Keywords: Oral hygiene, mouth rinse, chlohexidine, bacterial plaque