Comparative clinical efficacy of Murraya koenigii gel and chlorhexidine gluconate gel for improvement of oral health

Comparative clinical efficacy of Murraya koenigii gel and Chlorhexidine gluconate gel for improvement of oral health Introduction: Gingivitis is a non-destructive, plaque induced disease that causes inflammation of the gums. Chlorhexidine is regarded as the gold standard agent due to its chemical substantivity and clinical efficacy in chemical plaque control.  Nowadays, herbal products are widely substituting synthetic antimicrobials due to their minimal side effects and cost effectiveness. Murraya koenigii (curry leaf) is an easily available green leaf in the Indian subcontinent, known for its antimicrobial, antioxidative, and cytotoxic activity. Objective: This study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of M. koenigii gel in reduction of plaque and gingivitis when compared with commercially available Chlorhexidine (Hexigel) gel. Materials and Method: This single center, randomized controlled clinical trial was carried out among 40 participants with moderate gingivitis. After scaling, they were divided into two groups: Group I (control) and Group II (Test) [n=20] and were instructed to use Chlorhexidine gel and M. koenigii gel respectively. Clinical parameters (PI & GI) were recorded on baseline and 15 days later. Student’s paired t‑test and independent t-test were used for intra and inter group comparison of clinical parameters. Results: On intra-group comparison, both the groups showed a statistically significant difference (P = 0.001).  Inter-group comparison, showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. (P > 0.05) Conclusion: M. koenigii gel is equally effective as Chlorhexidine gel, in treating plaque induced gingivitis.