# Do Oral Antiseptics Affect the Force Degradation of Elastomeric Chains?
## 1 Introduction  
Elastomeric chains are used in various situations and stages of orthodontic treatment as an important source of force transmission to the teeth [1; 2; 3]. In orthodontics, light and continuous force are of great importance. It is well known that once elastomeric chains are activated, they immediately undergo significant force decay [4; 5]. According to the latest systematic review and meta-analysis, maximum force decay is present during the initial days following the placement of elastomeric chains/modules, which is reduced to approximately 50% within three weeks [6]. This loss of force needs to be prevented as much as possible to avoid inefficient tooth movement, which will consequently prolong orthodontic treatment [1; 7]. The endurance of elastomers predominantly determines their composition and diameter, while the force degradation can be influenced by several factors such as saliva, pH, temperature changes, enzymatic and microbial events, the duration of the extension, and chemical plaque control [8]. Elastomeric chains, as well as other fixed orthodontic appliances, increase the possibility of biofilm retention, making mechanical control of plaque accumulation more difficult and facilitating plaque retention, gingivitis, and initial caries or white spot lesions [9]. Mechanical cleaning is the most effective way of removing dental plaque [3; 10]. In addition to using only a toothbrush and denittifer, patients are advised to use additional oral hygiene tools such as interdental brushes and chemical/ antibacterial mouth rinses [1; 3; 9]. The use of mouth rinses efficiently reduces carcinogenic plaque in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances. It is commonly recommendedto use the mouthwash twice a day, once before going to sleep and once in the morning, with quantities of mouthwash varying between 10 and 20 mL. The most commonly used active agents are chlorhexidine, octenidine, essential oil (Listerine), cetylpyridinium, NaF, and AmF/SnF2 because of their effectiveness in the reduction of cariogenic plaque [3; 11]. Chlorhexidine is the gold standard for the chemical control of oral biofilm due to its bactericidal spectrum and high substantivity in the oral cavity. It is recommended to be used for no more than two weeks due to its adverse reactions to oral mucosa [12]. Octenidine, widely used on skin and wounds, has relatively new indications for application on the oral mucosa, but the effect on orthodontic appliances is not yet investigated. Essential oils containing mouthwashes due to their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties are commonly used since their usage is not time limited [8]. Cetylpyridinium chloricum (CPC) containing mouth rinses gained popularity recently due to its effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic [13]. Its adjunctive use in dentistry had limited effects in controlling plaque accumulation and gingivitis levels, with no adverse microbiological or tissue effects [14]. In addition to the therapeutic effect of mouthrinses, they are also widely accepted by patients due to their simple use and breath-freshening effect [11; 15]. There are several studies that deal with the effect of different oral mouthwashes on the force decay of elastomeric chains. The results are inconclusive and opposite. Studies that have shown increased force decay, such as the study of [PERSON] et al. on bleaching and sodium fluoride mouthwashes, recommended using them for a short period of time [16]. However, other studies demonstrated that there was no relationship between force loss and substances present in mouth rinses [1; 17]. [PERSON] et al. established that CPC had anti-SARS-CoV-2 actions without altering the virus envelope, and low quantities inhibit the infectivity of human-isolated SARS-CoV-2 strains in saliva [18]. Because of that, it gained popularity in everyday usage.