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