Comparison of commercially available 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash with and without Anti-Discoloration System. A blinded, cross-over clinical trial.

Aim To evaluate clinical performance and side-effects of two commercially available 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwashes after periodontal surgery, one with (test) and one without (control) an anti-discoloration system. Material and methods This single-centre, cross-over clinical trial included 38 patients undergoing two sessions of periodontal flap surgery. The participants used two different 0.2% chlorhexidine products, one with and one without an anti-discolouration system, in the 14-day post-operative periods. Plaque, gingival inflammation, tooth staining, side-effects and patient preference were evaluated. Results The control mouthwash (without an anti-discolouring system) produced significantly lower plaque - (p=0.02) and gingival index (p=0.01) compared to the test mouthwash. The test mouthwash produced significantly less staining in the gingival (p=0.002) and approximal areas (p=0.0004), but no difference was detected in the buccal area of the teeth. The patients did not show preference for any of the mouthwashes. Conclusion Chlorhexidine mouthwash without an anti-discoloration system resulted in significantly lowered plaque- and gingival index compared to chlorhexidine mouthwash with an anti-discoloration following periodontal surgery. No difference in patient preference was found despite less side effects produced by the chlorhexidine mouthwash with the anti-discolouration system.