In Vitro Evaluation of Seven Cationic Detergents as Antiplaque Agents

Abstract

The bactericidal efficacy of 7 cationic detergents was studied in vitro against intact preformed plaques of representative strains of 4 oral dental plaque-forming microorganisms: Streptococcus mutans, S. sanguis, Actinomyces viscosus and A. naeslundii. Absolute (plaque bactericidal index) and relative (chlorhexidine coefficient) indexes of antiplaque activity were established. Only cetyltrimethylammonium bromide was more efficacious than the reference agent, the bisbiguanide chlorhexidine, for the apparently more potent tooth-adherent cariogenic and periodontopathic elements, respectively, of the in vivo plaque microflora S. mutans and A. viscosus.