EFFICACY OF FLAX SEED OIL AS A PRE PROCEDURAL MOUTH RINSE IN REDUCING BACTERIAL COUNT IN DENTAL AEROSOL DURING ULTRASONIC SCALING – A RANDOMIZED CONTROL STUDY

Background:Dental professionals are exposed to microbial contamination from aerosols produced during procedures
like ultrasonic scaling. Conventional chemical rinses such as 0.2% chlorhexidine (CHX) are effective in reducing
microbial load but have undesirable side effects, including mucosal irritation and taste alteration. Herbal alternatives such as flax seed oil, rich in omega-3 fatty acids and lignans, exhibit anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties,
potentially providing a safer and effective substitute․
Materials and Methods: A randomized double-blind controlled study was conducted on 30 healthy participants aged
18–35 years, who were equally divided into three groups: Group A received 20 ml of normal saline, Group B received
20 ml of 0.2% chlorhexidine, and Group C received 20 ml of flax seed oil as a pre-procedural rinse for one minute before ultrasonic scaling. Aerosols generated during the procedure were collected on blood agar plates placed on patients’ chests, which were then incubated at 37 °C for 24 hours to determine the colony-forming units (CFUs). The data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Games-Howell post hoc test, with a significance level set at p ≤ 0.05.
Results:The mean CFU count was 197.3 ± 38.5 for normal saline, 98.4 ± 20.7 for chlorhexidine, and 51.6 ± 26.8 for flax seed oil. The reduction in bacterial load was statistically significant across the three groups (p < 0.05). Pairwise
comparison showed that flax seed oil achieved a significantly greater reduction in CFUs compared to both chlorhexidine and saline․
Conclusion:Flax seed oil demonstrated superior efficacy in reducing bacterial contamination in dental aerosols compared to chlorhexidine and normal saline. As a natural, biocompatible alternative with minimal side effects, flax seed oil can be recommended as an effective pre-procedural mouth rinse to minimize microbial transmission risk during ultrasonic scaling.