Statistical analysis
PLAQUE
Given that the present study had a parallel design of independent groups, and accounting for the possibility of using a two-tailed test of mean differences between two independent groups, an effect size of 0.80, an alpha error of 0.05, and a statistical power of 0.80, a minimum sample size of 26 subjects were required in each group. Due to the possible loss of patients for various reasons, each study group initially consisted of 30 participants. The sample size calculation was performed with the program G*Power version 3.1.9.4 [The statistical analysis was conducted using the freely distributed R software [
Inter-mouthwash analysis between independent groups: test group A vs. test group B in phase 1 (cymenol and placebo mouthwashes, respectively); test group A vs. test group B in phase 2 (cymenol mouthwashes in both groups). After using the Shapiro-Wilk test to determine the normal distribution of the data, either the Student’s t-test for independent samples (normal distribution) or the Mann-Whitney U (non-normal distribution) test was employed to compare the means obtained in both groups with the DenTiUS Deep Plaque clinical indices at baseline (day 0) and after using the mouthwash (days 4 and 8). In all cases, statistical significance was set as Inter-mouthwash analysis in a paired group: test group A in phase 1 (cymenol mouthwash) vs. phase 2 (cymenol mouthwash), and test group B in phase 1 (placebo mouthwash) vs. phase 2 (cymenol mouthwash). After testing for the normal distribution of the data using the Shapiro-Wilk test, either the repeated measures ANOVA (normal distribution) or the Wilcoxon test (non-normal distribution) and post hoc tests were applied with the Bonferroni correction to obtain a pairwise comparison of the DenTiUS Deep Plaque (DDP) clinical indices for a particular study group at the different timepoints (days 0, 4, and 8). In all cases, statistical significance was set as a 