Table 3.

Delivery formulations used in oral care.

Vehicle	Characteristics
Mouth rinses	Simplest vehicle formulation Compatible with most antimicrobial agents
Sprays	Relatively small doses to achieve efficacy Good compliance Easy usage
Dentifrices	Complex formulation Possible interaction among components Tooth brushing with a dentifrice is a well-adopted habit
Gels	Thickened aqueous system Non-abrasive No foaming agents Compatible with relevant antimicrobials Specific devices are needed for applications
Chewing gum/lozenges	Larger contact time Stimulated salivary secretion Useful for patients with low tooth-brushing compliance
Sustained-release formulations/devices	Long-term effect The efficacy is independent of patient compliance