Effect Of Chlorhexidine/Cethylpyridinium Chloride On Plaque And Gingivitis

Method: Seventeen subjects with gingivitis were included in this RCT study. They rinsed with 4 mouth rinses, 0.12% Chlorhexidine/0.05% Cetylpyridinium Chloride (alcohol-free) (CHX/CPC), 0.20% Chlorhexidine (non-staining) (CHX/ADS), 0.12% Chlorhexidine (alcohol-containing) (CHX/ALC) and 0.05% Sodium fluoride (CTRL) during four 3-week periods of no mechanical cleaning separated by 3-week washout periods. Plaque (QHI), Gingivitis (GI) and bacterial samples were obtained on Day 0, 7, 14 and 21. Saliva samples were collected and adverse event assessed on Day 21. 

Result: Day 21 mean GI were 1.48, 1.19, 1.30 and 1.36 in the CTRL, CHX/CPC, CHX/ALC and CHX /ADS groups respectively. Significantly less gingivitis developed in the CHX groups than in the CTRL group and significantly less in the CHX/CPC group than in the CHX/ALC and CHX/ADS groups.Mean QHI scores were 3.43, 2.49, 2.43 and 2.96 in the CTRL, CHX/CPC, CHX/ALC and CHX/ADS groups respectively. Significant less plaque formed in the CHX/CPC and the CHX/ALC groups than in the CTRL and the CHX/ADS groups and significantly less in the CHX/ADS group than in the CTRL group. Significantly fewer microorganisms were found in saliva in the CHX/CPC group than in the CHX/ADS and CTRL groups.DNA probe analyses showed no statistically significant difference from Baseline for early colonizers in all groups.Late colonizers and pocket colonizers were significantly less in the CHX/CPC and CHX/ALC groups. Significantly more dental staining developed in the CHX/CPC and CHX/ALC groups, however subjective patient evaluation of staining in the CHX groups were not different.  

Conclusion: 0.12% CHX /0.05% CPC had a more pronounced effect on gingivitis and the number of microorganisms in saliva than the in other CHX groups.There was no difference in tooth staining on subjective evaluation between the CHX groups.