ABSTRACT
Background: Dental plaque is an adherent biofilm housing a variety of bacterial populations, it poses a significant threat to both tooth structure and the supporting tissues. Consequently, the implementation of effective plaque control measures is of paramount importance in dental care. Chlorhexidine mouthwash has gained widespread recognition as the benchmark for preventing dental plaque. This study seeks to assess the demographics of study participants, as well as the effectiveness of chlorhexidine antiseptic mouthwash. Method: The research assessed 105 patients from the study centre. Patient demographic data, plaque samples were collected on-site, and microbiological analysis, antimicrobial susceptibility, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration testing were conducted at the Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, following established protocols. Results: Among participants, 53.33% were female, 46.66% male. The 11-30 age group had the highest plaque (33.3%), associated with carb-rich foods (49.57%) and sugary drinks (38.46%). Streptococcus dominated plaque (47% aerobic, 42% anaerobic), exceeding other microorganisms. Chlorhexidine effectively acted bactericidally on both aerobic and anaerobic plaque isolates at 70% and 80% MIC and MBC concentrations. Conclusion: The study links higher plaque levels to frequent carbohydrate-rich meal consumption, inadequate brushing, and infrequent antiseptic mouthwash use. Additionally, it reveals that chlorhexidine effectively reduces both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in dental plaque, with consistent MIC and MBC values at 70% and 80% concentration, indicating its bactericidal action against plaque isolates.
