International Journal of Ayurvedic Medicine, Vol 15 (3), 2024; 776-780 Published online in http://ijam.co.in ISSN No: 0976-5921 Research Article Keywords: Chlorhexidine, Neem, Herbal mouthwash, Periodontitis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Anti-bacterial. Introduction Periodontitis is a multifactorial disease involving the tooth-supporting structures and if left untreated may lead to the loss of alveolar bone, cementum, and periodontal ligament. (1) Dental plaque is although necessary for the initiation of periodontal disease, but the destruction of the periodontal structures is mainly due to the host’s response to this microbial challenge. (2) The human oral cavity harbours hundreds of bacterial species but only a few are responsible for the initiation and progression of periodontal disease. (3) Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) one of the bacteria of the red complex, is the primary pathogen found in the subgingival plaque samples of the periodontitis patient. (4) It is a Gram-negative, rod- shaped, anaerobic, and non-motile bacterium colonising the deep periodontal pockets. (5) Standard approaches for plaque control can be Mechanical or chemical. Mechanical plaque control can be carried out by the patient himself or by a professional dental clinician. The mechanical plaque control carried out by the individual on its own is toothbrushing, using inter-dental aids, etc. while professional mechanical plaque control measures include scaling and root planing (SRP). (6) The chemical plaque control can be carried out by the individual himself or by the dental professional. The chemical plaque control carried out by the individual himself includes therapeutic oral rinses or mouthwash. Among all chemical-based mouthwashes, chlorhexidine mouthwash is considered the gold standard in chemical plaque control. However, numerous advantages of chlorhexidine come with some harmful effects too. The adverse effects associated with chlorhexidine include tooth staining, taste alterations, desquamations, and ulcers of the oral mucosa. (7) Recently, a lot of interest has been developed in herbal products made from natural extracts without the use of harmful chemicals. Herbal products for maintaining oral hygiene like mouthwashes, toothpaste, and oral gels are recently gaining popularity since they are natural and safe as compared to chemical-based products. (8) Azadirachta indica or neem is an indigenous Indian herb known for its medicinal properties since time immemorial. It has antibacterial, anti- inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-viral, cytotoxic, and astringent properties. (9) Hence, the study aimed to analyse the antimicrobial activity of Azadirachta indica mouthwash against P. gingivalis and compare it with commercially available chemical-based chlorhexidine mouthwash. Assessment of the Efficacy of Indigenously Prepared Azadirachta Indica Mouthwash on P. Gingivalis in Chronic Periodontitis Patients: A Microbiological Study Vidushi Sheokand 1 , Manmeet Kaur 2* , Aditi Chaturvedi 3 , Amit Bhardwaj 4 1. Associate Professor, 2. PG Scholar, 4. Professor and Head, 1,2,4. Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram. India. 3. Project Research Scientist - I (Medical), CDER, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi India. Abstract Aim: The present study aimed to compare and evaluate the antimicrobial effect of Azadirachta Indica (Neem mouthwash) to chlorhexidine mouthwash on P. gingivalis. Materials ans Methods: The subjects were divided into 2 groups. Group I included 5 subjects who used self-prepared neem mouthwash, and Group II included 5 subjects who used 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash. Subgingival plaque samples were taken at baseline and the 15th day after using the mouthwash and subjected to microbiological evaluation. Results: The colony forming unit (CFU) of P. gingivalis was calculated at baseline and on the 15 th day after using mouthwash using the digit colony counter. A comparison of the total CFU of both mouthwashes revealed that the neem mouth was effective in reducing the microbial colonies of P. gingivalis from baseline to the 15 th day. Conclusion: It was concluded that the self-prepared neem mouthwash was effective in reducing the colony-forming unit of P. gingivalis in the sub-gingival plaque samples and showed better results than the commercially available chemical-based chlorhexidine mouthwash. 776 * Corresponding Author: Manmeet Kaur PG Scholar, Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram. India. Email Id: manmeetkaor23@gmail.com