What is a Chlorhexidine Mouth Rinse?
A chlorhexidine mouth rinse provides antimicrobial activity during rinsing and for several hours thereafter. Rinsing with chlorhexidine inhibits the buildup of plaque by reducing certain microbes that cause gingivitis.
Why use it?
Indications
Chlorhexidine is recommended for the treatment of moderate to severe gingivitis, and for management of gingival bleeding and inflammation between dental visits.
Contra-Indications:
Use is not recommended by persons who are known to be hypersensitive to chlorhexidine or other formula ingredients. Read warnings on lable.
Recommended home use is rinsing for 30 seconds, twice daily morning and evening. Usual dosage is 15 mL (marked in cap) of undiluted chlorhexidine. It is not intended for ingestion and should be expectorated after swishing.
Rinsing the mouth (with water or other mouthwashes), brushing the teeth, eating or drinking should be avoided for about 30 minutes before or after using chlorhexidine because most dentifrices inactivate chlorhexidine.
A chlorhexidine mouth rinse can be used as a preprocedural mouthrinse as well.
Side effects:
Chlorhexidine may cause staining of oral surfaces such as tooth surfaces, restorations, and the tongue. Stain may be more pronounced in patients who have heavier unremoved accumulations of plaque.
Stain resulting from use of chlorhexidine does not adversely affect the health of other oral tissues. Stain can be removed from most tooth surfaces by conventional prophylactic techniques, however it may require additional appointment time to complete stain removal.
Discretion should be used when treating patients with exposed root surfaces or anterior facial restorations with rough surfaces or margins. Prophy jet works the great to remove chlorhexidine stain. If stains cannot be removed from these surfaces with a dental prophylaxis, patients should be excluded from chlorhexidine treatment. On rare occasions stains on restorations that are difficult to remove by prophylaxis may need replacement.
A few patients may experience an alteration in taste perception while using chlorhexidine. Most of these patients continued with use of chlorhexidine.
Rare instances of permanent taste alteration following chlorhexidine use have been reported.
Brands availible:
PERIDEX® is one of the most common brands of chlorhexidine gluconate mouth rinses used by dental professions in the office and for home use between dental visits as part of a professional program for the treatment of gingivitis.
Colgate Periogard Mouthrinse is an alcohol free chlorhexidine digluconate mouth rinse also given to patients in dental offices and for home use.
For more information and references:
https://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3M-ESPE-NA/dental-professionals/products/category/preventive/
https://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3M-ESPE/dental-professionals/products/category/preventive/peridex/
How to use it:
