Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Backgound: one of the single most important easily demonstrable local etiological factor playing a significant role in the initiation and progression of periodontal disease is Dental plaque. Periodontal therapy aims at reducing or even eradicating periodontal pathogens by adequate oral hygiene instructions combined with thorough scaling and root planing. Chemical agents can play a pivotal role as adjuncts to mechanical plaque-control methods.hence; we conducted the present study to clinically evaluate the efficacy of 0.12% Chlorhexidine and water as oral irrigants in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. Materials & methods: 40 patients (both males and females) showing clinical evidence of chronic periodontitis were selected amongst the patients visiting the Department of Dentistry. At day 0, oral prophylaxis of each patient was done and oral hygiene instructions using modified Stillman’s method of toothbrushing twice a day i.e. once after breakfast & half an hour before going to bed at night were be given. Total of 40 patients were randomly and equally divided into 2 test groups. Test group 1 consisted of Patients irrigated with 0.12% Chlorhexidine digluconate. Test group 2 consisted of Patients irrigated with distilled water (control). In office, the patients were treated with irrigation using oral irrigator device (Water Pik) in all areas with pocket formation >3mm respectively in both test groups i.e. test group 1 with 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate and test group 2 with distilled water on day 0 (baseline), 7, 21 and 42. At home, patients were instructed to rinse i.e. test group 1 with 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate and test group 2 with distilled water twice a day, atleast half an hour after toothbrushing for 21 days. Loe and Silness gingival index to assess gingival scores. Results: Mean plaque score in the 20 patients at day 0, 7 and 21 was 1.3, 1.1 and 1.0 respectively. Significant results were obtained while comparing the mean plaque score, gingival score, calculus score and pocket depth in between various time intervals. Conclusion: Chlorhexidine is a potent antimicrobial irrigating solution but with its long term use there are some adverse reactions
Key words: Chlorhexidine, dental plaque, periodontal disease 

Correspondence Author: Dr. Aditi Khanna, Periodontist, Private practitioner

This article may be cited as: Khanna A, Platia S. Evaluation of the efficacy of 0.12% chlorhexidine and water as oral irrigants in the treatment of Chronic Periodontitis. J Adv Med Dent Scie Res 2016;4(6):133-137.