The Gold Standard Oral Antimicrobial Rinse: Chlorhexidine Gluconate

Professional and public press contains claims for oral rinses. These rinses often compare themselves to the gold standard for oral rinses, chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX).

It is recognized that maintaining a high standard of oral hygiene is important for the prevention and treatment of oral health problems such as gingivitis and caries. Toothbrushing is the main method for maintaining good oral hygiene but other methods such as interdental brushes and floss are commonly used. Some people who have difficulty controlling plaque build-up and who have gingivitis use only home care with brushing and sometimes use mouth rinses containing CHX.

CHX is an effective broad spectrum antimicrobial oral rinse that reduces biofilm and has been shown to reduce gingivitis as well as helping to reduce halitosis. It offers substantivity which means the antibacterial effects last well beyond the time of rinsing. Therefore its anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis effects offer benefits that last longer than just the time the patient spends rinsing. CHX works by interacting with the bacterial cell wall, which results in it rupturing and the bacterial cell dying, thereby inhibiting dental plaque formation and build-up.