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PubMed · 12049062

Chlorhexidine.

Abdy Moshrefi
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Abstract

Chlorhexidine remains the gold standard to which other antiplaque and gingivitis agents are compared. Its effectiveness can be attributed to it bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects and its substantivity within the oral cavity. While other agents may possess one or more of these properties, few possess all three and perform so well. The antimicrobial properties of chlorhexidine are attributed to it di-cationic structure, and it is this same property that is the basis of its most common side effect, extrinsic tooth staining. By understanding the biochemical properties of chlorhexidine, an appreciation for the efficacy and use of chlorhexidine can be developed. It is only in such a way that the efficacy can be maximized and the side effects minimized, allowing chlorhexidine to remain the gold standard.

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Anti-Infective Agents, LocalChlorhexidineDental PlaqueHumansTooth DiscolorationJournal ArticleReview

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Abdy Moshrefi. 2002. Chlorhexidine.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12049062/

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PubMed2003

Susceptibility of planktonic versus attached Streptococcus sanguinis cells to chlorhexidine.

The effect of chlorhexidine (CHX) on the viability of Streptococcus sanguinis was investigated in a preclinical biofilm model separately on cells in the planktonic or attached life form. Saliva-coated human enamel and glass slides were exposed to the streptococci suspended in sterile saliva for 30 min and 60 min in the flow chamber system. The CHX exposition was performed in two parts: pretreatment of the planktonic bacteria before their attachment to enamel or glass, and treatment of bacteria already attached to enamel. The susceptibility measured by vitality percentages was determined by fluorescence microscopy using vital/dead cells. After CHX pretreatment of planktonic cells, the mean values of the vitality percentages after adhesion were 14-18% (enamel) and 24-25% (glass). In contrast, the mean vitality percentages of untreated attached streptococci reached 70-75% (enamel) and 68% (glass). The vitality percentages of CHX-exposed bacteria dropped markedly to 2-5%, whereas those of untreated attached cells remained at 65-66%. The exposure of initially attached streptococci to CHX resulted in greater reduction of bacterial viability than with the planktonic counterparts. This preclinical biofilm model allows the investigation of various bacterial life forms and can furthermore be used to select efficient antiplaque therapeutics which might be beneficial for clinical plaque control.

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