Parappa Sajjan
Developments in the field of dental research are majorly focusing on preventing and controlling of dental diseases. Dental plaque mediates the progression of two important dental diseases, dental caries and periodontal disease. Among the numerous approaches for controlling these dental diseases, plaque control through conventional method using dentifrice is still the most effective approach. Several antimicrobial agents have been tested for effective plaque control.Each material has shown varying efficacy with some limitations. Still there is a search for single comprehensive agent to plaque related oral diseases like dental caries, gingivitis and periodontitis. Triclosan is a synthetic antimicrobial agent and due to its biocidal and antibacterial properties, has been used as an important ingredient in personal care, veterinary, industrial and household products. Because of its antimicrobial activity against oral microrganisms and compatibility with tooth paste components such as fluoride and surfactant, it has been widely used in the dentifrices and found to have very good plaque control efficacy. Several studies have substantiated the use of triclosan containing tooth paste in controlling plaque and gingivitis. There are quite a number of health impacts of triclosan brought to light by the scientific and environmental community across the globe. It is known to cause skin irritation, hormone disruption, it interferes with the muscle function, it is resistant to certain bacteria, it has a detrimental effect on the central nervous system, it is also known to alter the thyroid hormone metabolism and it may also cause tumor development. The regulatory authorities such as FDA, has imposed restriction on the use of triclosan. However the use of triclosan in tooth pastes is under review and there is skepticism in scientific community regarding the further use or recommendation of the same. Hence there is need for effective antiplaque agent to be used in dentifrice. Salicylates and Chemicals Pvt. Ltd has come up with novel patented antimicrobial which brings together the antibacterial properties of chlorhexidine and the antifungal properties of undecylenic acid into one agent. Chlorhexidine di-undecylenate (trade name: Salibact) has shown promising results in several personal care products and the results are comparable to triclosan.The toxicological profile has clearly demonstrating the safety of product. The antimicrobial spectrum includes predominant oral microorganisms. Hence the material finds scope for research in wide variety of formulations in different oral disorders. Preliminary human studies indicating the efficacy of material in the form of dentifrice, hence it could serve as an alternative to triclosan.