The effect of chlorhexidine on the oral microbiome and saliva
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect of chlorhexidine on the oral microbiome, salivary pellicle proteins and vascular function in individuals with dental erosion.
IRAS ID
333173
Contact name
Mahdi Mutahar
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
333173, IRAS Project ID
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Dental erosion (DE) is when teeth get damaged by acids from food, drinks, and stomach acid. This can make teeth look bad, work poorly, and hurt. DE is pretty common, affecting 20% to 45% of people with permanent teeth worldwide. Human mouth has ways to protect against DE. For example, after brushing teeth, a thin layer called acquired enamel pellicle (AEP) forms on teeth which is made of salivary (spit) proteins that can shield teeth from acid harm. This protection also extends to the soft parts inside mouth such internal cheek and tongue surfaces (SP). These proteins can also attract organisms such bacteria, which can build up on teeth and other oral surfaces.
People with DE (PwDE) display different salivary protein and bacteria compositions compared to healthy individuals. Interestingly, nitrate-reducing bacteria (NRB) have been linked to oral and overall health benefits. NRB is type of oral bacteria that convert nitrate (NO3-) to nitric oxide (NO), enhancing cardiovascular health by promoting vasodilation, improving blood flow, and reducing blood pressure.
However, a commonly available mouthwash called chlorhexidine (CHX) available over‐the‐counter and a prescription is generally not required in UK and worldwide disrupts these positive effects. CHX kills microorganisms, including beneficial NRB, harming vascular health and shifts the oral bacterial balance, potentially increasing the risk of DE.
Despite CHX's wide use, its impact on oral microbiome and vascular control is unexplored. Understanding CHX's effects on salivary proteins, oral microbiome, and vascular function is crucial for guidance on its frequent use. Investigating changes in NRB populations across oral sites like WMS, AEP, and tongue SP can provide insights in healthy individuals and PwDE. This study is a part of a PhD project aims to explore mouthwash's effect on oral microbiome recovery in saliva, AEP and SP and its impact on blood pressure and arterial stiffness in PwDE and healthy controls.REC name
London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/PR/1167
Date of REC Opinion
3 Nov 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion