Effect of chlorhexidine (0.12%) rinses on periodontal tissue healing after tooth extraction

Abstract. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a 1 -month period of chlorhexidine (CHX) rinses on the periodontal conditions of teeth adjacent to extraction sockets. 40 patients signed consent forms for this double blind trial and were randomly assigned to either the test group rinsing 2 × daily with 15 ml of a 0.12% CHX solution (Peridex®) starting 2 days after tooth extraction or the control group rinsing with a placebo solution for 30 days. Clinical periodontal parameters were obtained from test sites located adjacent to as well as matched controls distant to the extraction sites. The measurements were performed at baseline before the extraction and 1, 2, 3 and 6 months thereafter. During the observation period, the patients were exposed to initial periodontal therapy. The test sites of the group rinsing with CHX demonstrated significantly reduced (p < 0.05) plaque indices, gingival indices and lower %s of sites bleeding on probing one month following the extraction. The test sites of the control group rinsing with the placebo demonstrated a tendency for loss of clinical attachment between 1 and 2 months after the tooth extraction. The mean pocket probing depth (PPD) at test sites of the CHX rinsing group was smaller than in the placebo rinsing group at the one month examination. Also, the mean PPD of the test sites in the CHX group was significantly smaller than at the control sites at 1 month. This difference was not observed in the control group rinsing with placebo. Due to the effect of initial periodontal therapy, the differences in the clinical parameters were no longer statistically significant at six months. It is concluded that the administration of 0.12% CHX rinses following tooth extraction results in a significant improvement of the periodontal conditions adjacent to extraction sockets and hence, should be recommended routinely.