Adjunctive effect of chlorhexidine antiseptics in mechanical periodontal treatment: first results of a preliminary case series

ABSTRACT Objectives: The aim of the present case series was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological effects of a single session of mechanical and manual SRP combined with the use of two different Chlorhexidine formulations in the treatment of generalized chronic periodontitis. Methods: 10 patients affected by chronic periodontal disease with PPD > 5 mm were treated with SRP plus local Chlorhexidine. In each patient similar teeth, treated with SRP with the adjunctive use of Chlorhexidine digluconate and dihydrochloride or Chlorhexidine gluconate respectively, were selected and assigned to a test and a control group. In both groups PPD, BOP parameters, TBC and quality of periodontal bacteria at time 0 and 6 weeks after treatment were measured. Results: PPD significantly decreased over time both in the test and control group; however, no significant differences between the two groups were observed. BOP and TBC were significantly lower in the test than in the control group 6 weeks after treatment. In the post-treatment revaluation, a significant decrease both in the treatment and control group, for each of the single periodontal pathogens, was observed. Conclusion: In this study – a preliminary case series with small sample size and short follow-up - the adjunctive use of CHX to SRP resulted in clinical and microbiological benefits in the treatment of generalized chronic periodontitis. A CHX gel formulation consisting of CHX digluconate and CHX dihydrochloride seems to lead some additional benefits over SRP plus CHX gluconate in the