It has been found that sanguinarine salts disclose plaque equally as well as two standard disclosing agents, erythrosine and fluorescein. However, sanguinarine has been found to be retained on the plaque deposits for a significantly longer time than the standard disclosing agents, and sanguinarine is known to have antimicrobial properties.
The longer retention time for sanguinarine on plaque deposits makes it an ideal disclosant for use in dental offices, by allowing dental cleansings during the disclosure period while maintaining an antibacterial action of sanguinarine is particularly important in the case of ultrasonic scaling, where aeralization of mouth deposits is an occupational hazard to dentists and dental hygienists. Compositions containing sanguinarine as a disclosing agent can also be used by consumers for self-disclosure of plaque in the home to aid in oral hygiene.
The sanguinarine may be incorporated into a disclosing composition in a variety of ways. The most common method is to incorporate the sanguinarine into a mouthwash composition, which is used to rinse the mouth prior to examining for plaque deposits. Alternatively, the sanguinarine may be incorporated in a test cracker or other chewable food such as candy or gum which will aid in diagnosing plaque. Sanguinarine can also be incorporated into toothpaste to enable the patient to observe the care with which he is brushing.
In formulating preparations suitable for the above, one may include, if desired, one or more additives which are useful for other purposes. For example, brightening agents, solvents spreading, or wetting agents, etc., may be used for various purposes. Almost any known mouthwash, toothpaste, tooth powder, or other formulation useful for diagnostic or therapeutic treatment of external body surfaces and of the oral cavity may be used.
Sanguinarine chloride was compared to two standard disclosing dyes, erythrosine and sodium fluorescein. At weekly intervals healthy volunteers under went a 12-24 hour, no oral hygiene period. Subjects then used one of the following: erythrosine, sodium fluorescein, or sanguinarine chloride. Subjects rinsed two times with 15 ml. of the rinse, while the erythrosine and sodium fluorescein were used according to customary practice. Color was evaluated under ambient light after erythrosine, under Plak light for sodium fluorescein, and under longwave UV fluorescent light for sanguinarine. The color was scored for location, amount, and area.
All agents colored soft dental deposits at gingival margins and at the dorsal surface of the tongue. Erythrosine also stained the gingivae and other soft tissues, whereas sodium fluorescein and sanguinarine did not. Mean values of plaque were measured for all disclosants. Table shows that the sanguinarine chloride mouthwash disclosed plaque effectively, and that the disclosure lasted significantly longer than for the other two disclosing dyes.
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