While chlorhexidine has been proven effective for treatment of periodontal disease when combined with scaling and root planing, new chemical formulations with the ability to inhibit or disrupt plaque formation have just arrived on the market. The Journal of Clinical Periodontology recently published the results of 8 double-blind parallel studies on the efficacy of a 0.2% delmopinol rinse on periodontal health; 913 subjects in 5 studies were supervised while rinsing, and 3 studies with 467 subjects did not have supervision while rinsing. Modified plaque index, modified gingival index, and gingival bleeding on probing were some of the indices measured. When compared with a placebo, both the supervised and unsupervised groups using the 0.2% delmopinal rinse had lower plaque scores and a reduced incidence of gingival bleeding on probing. The unsupervised group measured 0.36 points lower than the placebo. In addition, plaque accumulation was generally reduced in both groups by a substantial—though varied—amount. The extended effects of the rinse on gingivitis exceeded the criteria set by the American Dental Association. The delmopinol 0.2% rinse was shown to effectively disrupt plaque and manage gingivitis, making it a suitable alternative choice for many patients.
(Source: Dental Abstracts, September/October 2007)
