Many researches are being done to study the effect of toothpaste containing natural extracts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the plaque control effect and therapeutic effect of toothpaste products containing chitosan extract.

120 healthy subjects with gingivitis or early periodontitis were divided into two groups. Subjects in the experimental group only used toothpaste containing chitosan and subjects in the control group used toothpaste without chitosan. At first, subjects received scaling and tooth brushing instruction. Gingival index, bleeding index, probing pocket depth, probing attachment level were scored at baseline, 2 months, and 3 months, and plaque index were scored at baseline, 1month, 2months, 3months.

Gingival index of experimental group and control group at baseline, 2 months, and 3 months use were 0.71±0.66, 0.49±0.55, 0.36±0.49 and 0.62±0.58, 0.51±0.52, 0.48±0.50 (mean±SD), respectively (statistically significant different at p<0.05).

Plaque index of experimental group and control group at baseline, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months were 0.52±0.50, 0.43±0.50, 0.39±0.49, 0.29±0.46 and 0.49±0.50, 0.50±0.50, 0.51±0.50, 0.45±0.50, respectively (statistically significant different at p<0.05).

Bleeding index of experimental group and control group were 0.40±0.49, 0.33±0.47, 0.24±0.43 and 0.40±0.49, 0.38±0.49, 0.30±0.46, respectively (statistically significant different at p<0.05).

Probing depth of experimental group and control group were 2.41±0.64, 2.31±0.60, 2.28±0.55 and 2.51±0.67, 2.47±0.63, 2.42±0.62, respectively (statistically significant different at p<0.05).

Attachment level of experimental group and control group were, 2.46±0.70, 2.36±0.66, 2.32±0.62 and 2.54±0.70, 2.51±0.69, 2.46±0.66, respectively (statistically significant different at p<0.05).

From these finding, it can be concluded that toothpaste containing chitosan have better plaque control effect and therapeutic effect on gingivitis and early periodontitis compared to conventional toothpastes.