Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica, 60 (3), pp.

359–373 (2013)
DOI: 10.1556/AMicr.60.2013.3.10

COMPARING THE EFFICACY OF HYPER-PURE

CHLORINE-DIOXIDE WITH OTHER
ORAL ANTISEPTICS ON ORAL PATHOGEN
MICROORGANISMS AND BIOFILM IN VITRO

ANNA HERCZEGH1*, MILÁN GYURKOVICS1, HAYK AGABABYAN2,

ÁGOSTON GHIDÁN3** and ZSOLT LOHINAI1**
1
Department of Conservative Dentistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
2
University Dental Outpatient Clinic, Yerevan, Armenia
3
Department of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

(Received: 7 May 2013; accepted: 4 June 2013)

This study examines the antibacterial properties of sodium hypochlorite

(NaOCl), chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX), Listerine®, and high purity chlorine diox-
ide (Solumium, ClO2) on selected common oral pathogen microorganisms and on den-
tal biofilm in vitro. Antimicrobial activity of oral antiseptics was compared to the gold
standard phenol. We investigated Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus,
Enterococcus faecalis, Veillonella alcalescens, Eikenella corrodens, Actinobacillus
actinomycetemcomitans and Candida albicans as some important representatives of
the oral pathogens. Furthermore, we collected dental plaque from the upper first mo-
lars of healthy young students. Massive biofilm was formed in vitro and its reduction
was measured after treating it with mouthrinses: CHX, Listerine® or hyper pure ClO2.
Their biofilm disrupting effect was measured after dissolving the crystal violet stain
from biofilm by photometer. The results have showed that hyper pure ClO2 solution is
more effective than other currently used disinfectants in case of aerobic bacteria and
Candida yeast. In case of anaerobes its efficiency is similar to CHX solution. The
biofilm dissolving effect of hyper pure ClO2 is significantly stronger compared to
CHX and Listerine® after 5 min treatment. In conclusion, hyper pure ClO2 has a po-
tent disinfectant efficacy on oral pathogenic microorganisms and a powerful biofilm
dissolving effect compared to the current antiseptics, therefore high purity ClO2 may
be a new promising preventive and therapeutic adjuvant in home oral care and in den-
tal or oral surgery practice.

Keywords: hyper pure chlorine dioxide, oral antiseptics, mouthrinse, oral

bacteria, biofilm

* Corresponding author; E-mail: herczegh.anna@dent.semmelweis-univ.hu

** Á. Ghidán and Z. Lohinai contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-last
authors.

1217-8950/$20.00 © 2013 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest