The effect of virgin coconut oil on the plaque index score on the lingual surfaces of the mandibular incisors among selected Cebu Doctors' University dentistry students.

The study aimed to determine the effect of Virgin Coconut Oil on the dental plaque index scores of the lingual surfaces of the mandibular incisors of selected Dentistry students of Cebu Doctors' University utilizing a pre-post single group experimental design. The study utilized 10 participants selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study made use of a Modified Quigley-Hein Plaque Index which serves as a guide to determine the plaque index scores before and after using the Virgin Coconut Oil.

After using the Virgin Coconut Oil by the oil pulling method twice a day for 7 days for 30 seconds, the mean dental plaque index scores from pre-treatment to post treatment of tooth number 32 had a difference of 1 mm and a difference of 0.9 mm for tooth number 31. Based on the Paired t-Test the results showed a significant difference in the mean dental plaque index scores for tooth number 32 with a p value of 0.019 and for tooth number 31 with a p value of 0.015 therefore rejecting the Null Hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. But for tooth number 42 with a p value of 0.343, there was no significant decrease at 0.05 level of significance. The summary of Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test for the difference in plaque index score (mm) between the pre-treatment and post treatment in the single group showed that there was a significant median plaque index score at 0.05 level of significance, z= -2.070, p< 0.05, rejecting the Null Hypothesis. The plaque index score of the post treatment reduced in comparison to the plaque index score of the pre-treatment.

Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that using Virgin Coconut Oil can reduce plaque index scores on the lingual surfaces of the mandibular incisors among Dentistry students of Cebu Doctors' University when used twice a day for 7 days with 30 seconds of oil pulling. The students could use the knowledge obtained from this study on Virgin Coconut Oil in preventing or reducing the occurrence of gingivitis. Moreover, results of this study can be used as an experimentation on Virgin Coconut Oil as a component of a mouthrinse. The patients with plaque could easily avail this product in the market since it is commercially available. The pharmaceutical companies could use and develop new effective products of mouthrinse that contains Virgin Coconut Oil. Further researchers especially dental students may use the results as a basis in  conducting further studies about Virgin Coconut Oil and its effect on plaque index score. They are encouraged to prolong the time frame compared to this 7-day
experimental study; to increase the concentration of the disclosing solution to make the visibility of the plaque deposits better; to prolong the duration of actual oil pulling for 1 minute. Lastly, future researchers can have a comparison study of the effect of Virgin Coconut Oil and Chlorhexidine mouthwash, the gold standard mouthwash, in lowering plaque index levels.