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CompletedNCT07265102CHX+CDOUpdated Dec 22, 2025

Effect of a Mouthwash Containing Chlorhexidine and Chlorine Dioxide on Halitosis

An interventional study of CHX 0.01% + CDO 0.05% mouthwash and Placebo mouthwash in Halitosis, sponsored by Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Completed at 1 site in Vietnam. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-12-22.

Sponsored by Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 2 years 2 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Sep 2023, registered Nov 2025).
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
40
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

Halitosis significantly impacts the quality of a patient's life. This randomized, double-blind crossover trial evaluates a mouthwash containing chlorhexidine (0.01%) and chlorine dioxide (0.05%) compared with placebo. Forty participants rinsed twice daily for 2 weeks, followed by a 2-week washout and crossover. The primary outcomes were volatile sulfur compounds (H₂S, CH₃SH), measured by OralChroma. Secondary outcomes included plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing, tongue coating, and salivary bacterial counts (Aa, Pg, Fn, Pi, and Ec).

02

Conditions studied

  • Halitosis

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Keywords

  • halitosis
  • chlorhexidine
  • chlorine dioxide
  • mouthwash
  • volatile sulfur compounds
  • tongue coating
03

In context

Halitosis

93 studies on the registry are indexed under Halitosis; 17 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 40 is below the median of 45 across 79 interventional studies indexed under Halitosis.

Browse Halitosis studies →

Lead sponsor

Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy is the lead sponsor of 35 studies on the registry; 8 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • ≥20 natural teeth
  • H₂S >1.5 ng/10ml or CH₃SH >0.5 ng/10ml
  • Signed

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Systemic disease
  • Smoking
  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Periodontal pockets ≥4 mm
  • Recent antibiotic use (\<1 month)
  • Orthodontic appliances or dentures
  • Allergy to CHX or C
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
40 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    CHX-CDO Mouthwash

    Participants rinsed with a test mouthwash containing 0.01% chlorhexidine and 0.05% chlorine dioxide. Each participant used 15 mL of the solution twice daily (morning and evening) for 30 seconds over a period of 2 weeks. The mouthwash bottles were identical in appearance to maintain blinding.

    Other: CHX 0.01% + CDO 0.05% mouthwash

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo Mouthwash

    Participants rinsed with a placebo mouthwash containing the same excipients, color, and flavoring agents but without chlorhexidine or chlorine dioxide. Each participant used 15 mL of the placebo solution twice daily for 30 seconds over 2 weeks.

    Other: Placebo mouthwash

Interventions

  • OtherCHX 0.01% + CDO 0.05% mouthwash

    Mouthwash formulation containing chlorhexidine 0.01% and chlorine dioxide 0.05%, prepared by the Department of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City.

    Also known as: CHX+ CDO mouthwash

  • OtherPlacebo mouthwash

    Identical placebo formulation matched in flavor, color, and excipients but without active ingredients (CHX or CDO).

    Also known as: Control mouthwash

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) concentration in breath

    The concentration of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in oral breath was measured using the OralChroma™ device. The difference between baseline, immediately after rinsing, and 2 weeks was used to assess the efficacy of the mouthwash in reducing volatile sulfur compounds.

    Time frame: baseline, immediate post-rinse, 2 weeks

  2. Change in Methyl mercaptan (CH₃SH) concentration in breath

    The concentration of methyl mercaptan (CH₃SH) in oral breath was measured using the OralChroma™ device. The difference between baseline, immediately after rinsing, and 2 weeks was used to evaluate the short-term and sustained effects of the mouthwash on halitosis.

    Time frame: Baseline, immediate post-rinse, 2 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change of plaque index

    The Plaque Index (PI) was recorded at four surfaces per tooth (mesiobuccal, buccal, distobuccal, and lingual) to assess plaque accumulation. Each surface was scored on a scale from 0 to 3, where 0 indicates no plaque and 3 indicates abundant plaque accumulation. The mean PI score per participant was calculated at each visit. A lower score indicates less plaque accumulation and improved oral hygiene.

    Time frame: At baseline and 2 weeks of mouthwash use

  2. Change in Gingival Index (GI)

    The Gingival Index (GI) was evaluated at four surfaces per tooth (mesiobuccal, buccal, distobuccal, and lingual) to assess the degree of gingival inflammation. Each surface was scored on a scale from 0 to 3, where 0 indicates normal gingiva and 3 indicates severe inflammation with marked redness, edema, and a tendency to spontaneous bleeding. The mean GI score per participant was calculated. A lower score reflects healthier gingival conditions.

    Time frame: At baseline and 2 weeks of mouthwash use

  3. Change in Bleeding on Probing (BOP)

    The percentage of sites showing bleeding upon gentle probing was recorded as an indicator of gingival inflammation and bleeding tendency. The presence of bleeding was recorded at each examined site following gentle periodontal probing. BOP was expressed as the percentage of bleeding sites, calculated as the number of sites showing bleeding divided by the total number of sites examined ×100%. Higher percentages indicate greater gingival inflammation.

    Time frame: At baseline and 2 weeks of mouthwash use

  4. Change in Tongue Coating Index

    The tongue dorsum was visually divided into six areas (three anterior and three posterior) according to Winkel's Tongue Coating Index (WTCI). Each area was scored from 0 (no coating), 1 (mild coating), and 2 (thick coating), and the total score (0-12) was calculated as the Tongue Coating Index.

    Time frame: At baseline and 2 weeks of mouthwash use

  5. Change in salivary bacterial load (qPCR quantification)

    Salivary bacterial counts of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, Eikenella corrodens, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans were quantified using real-time PCR (qPCR). Changes in bacterial load (log CFU/mL) between baseline and 2 weeks were compared to assess the antibacterial effect of the mouthwash.

    Time frame: At baseline and 2 weeks of mouthwash use

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Odonto-Stomatology Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City
    Ho Chi Minh City, 70000, Vietnam
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Pham TAV, Nguyen NTX. Efficacy of chlorine dioxide mouthwash in reducing oral malodor: A 2-week randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Clin Exp Dent Res. 2018 Oct 23;4(5):206-215. doi: 10.1002/cre2.131. eCollection 2018 Oct. PubMed 30386642 ↗
  • Shinada K, Ueno M, Konishi C, Takehara S, Yokoyama S, Zaitsu T, Ohnuki M, Wright FA, Kawaguchi Y. Effects of a mouthwash with chlorine dioxide on oral malodor and salivary bacteria: a randomized placebo-controlled 7-day trial. Trials. 2010 Feb 12;11:14. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-11-14. PubMed 20152022 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — De-identified data, study protocol, and statistical code will be available upon reasonable request

Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan

Time frame: Within 6 months after publication, available for 3 years

Access criteria: Researchers with IRB-approved proposals may request access via corresponding author.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 22, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07265102
Lead sponsor
Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Dec 4, 2025
Start date
Sep 5, 2023
Primary completion
Dec 5, 2023
Completion
Mar 5, 2024
Last update
Dec 22, 2025

Study contacts

Thuy A.V. Pham, Assoc.Prof.
principal investigator · Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Dec 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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