Abstract

The objective of this study was to select the optimal ratio of a compound Chinese medicine mouthwash containing Magnolia officinalis, Galla chinensis and Geranium strictipes and to evaluate the effectiveness of caries prevention through animal experiments, providing a scientific basis for the clinical application of compound Chinese medicine mouthwash. Using a uniform design method to screen the optimal compatibility of three drugs, rat caries model was established using 30 Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided into a traditional Chinese medicine experimental group, positive control group and blank control group, each with 10 rats. Streptococcus mutans was inoculated and administered in the cariogenic feed diet 2000 and 5 % sucrose solution. Rat mouths were rinsed with compound Chinese medicine mouthwash (Chinese medicine experimental group), chlorhexidine mouthwash (positive control group) and distilled water (blank control group). After continuous treatment for 4 w, the rats were euthanized; the effectiveness and safety of the compound Chinese medicine mouthwash in preventing caries were comprehensively evaluated through colony counting, the Keyes scoring method, changes in rat weight, the organ coefficient, and hematoxylin and eosin staining of the buccal mucosa. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of Magnolia officinalis, Galla chinensis and Geranium strictipes against Streptococcus mutans are 12, 24 and 30 mg/ml, respectively. The optimal formula included 18 mg/ml of Magnolia officinalis, 48 mg/ml of Galla chinensis and Geranium strictipes of 30 mg/ml. After counting the colonies in rats, it was found that the positive control group and the traditional Chinese medicine experimental group were significantly lower than the blank control group in three indicators, total colony count, Streptococcus mutans colony count and Streptococcus mutans colony level. There was no significant difference between the positive control group and the traditional Chinese medicine experimental group. Keyes caries score for the Chinese medicine experimental group was significantly lower than that for the blank control group in all four levels of caries. After changes in rat body weight, organ coefficients, and hematoxylin and eosin staining of rat cheek mucosa, it was found that there was no significant difference between the Chinese medicine experimental group and the blank control group. The compound Chinese medicine mouthwash has a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of Streptococcus mutans and dental caries in rats and it has a certain degree of biosafety as a local oral medication.