Evaluation of an alum-containing mouthrinse for inhibition of salivary streptococcus mutans levels in children--a controlled clinical trial.

The anticariogenic effect of alum was evaluated in the study by measuring the salivary S. mutans levels of children at baseline, after 3-weeks, and 6-weeks of using alum-containing mouthrinses. Sixty subjects with a mean age of eleven years were selected and randomly divided into four groups. Two experimental mouthrinses (alum in physiological saline and alum in distilled water) and two control mouthrinses (physiological saline and distilled water) were given for a period of 6 weeks on a daily basis. Salivary samples were collected at the end of 3 weeks and 6 weeks and S. mutans levels were assessed and compared with baseline values and among each other. Both the alum-containing mouthrinses produced statistically significant reductions in S. mutans levels in children, thus tempting us to announce alum as a routine oral hygiene measure, though its safety for prolonged usage needs to be established by long-term studies.