Proven Interventions to Prevent Biofilm Induced Periodontal Disease

Objectives: To summarize findings from recent systematic reviews to determine which interventions are proven to prevent the initiation/progression of periodontal disease.
Methods: A systematic scoping review was performed using a number of terms related to prevention of periodontal diseases. The search was limited to only systematic reviews of adult patients with gingivitis.
Results: Table 1 shows the chemical and mechanical interventions and the relevant clinical outcome terms (plaque index (PI), gingival inflammation (GI), bleeding score (BS), and pocket depth (PD)). Topical chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) and employment of adjunctive interdental brushing had the strongest evidence in reducing gingivitis. To a lesser extent, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), essential oil mouth wash (EOMW) and powered toothbrushing were also effective in reducing gingivitis. Other interventions, including probiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), and nutritional supplements, were not supported by evidence from multiple clinical trials.
Conclusions: Topical CHX and interdental brushing are effective interventions proven by results from multiple clinical trials as summarized by systematic reviews. Other interventions, while promising, do not yet have sufficient evidence proving their effectiveness. Thus, more research is needed before these interventions can be recommended for patient use.