A comparison of chlorhexidine impregnated floss vs. conventional dental floss on gingivitis

Background and Aim: Plaque induced gingivitis is the most prevalent form of periodontal diseases and there are several reports demonstrating low efficiency of mechanical methods to control the dental plaque completely. Chemical method has been found as an adjunct to mechanical plaque control. The purpose of this clinical trial was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of chlorhexidine when used subgingivally with dental floss versus normal flossing alone.  Materials and Methods: Thirty-seven female dental students with gingivitis and at least 2 sites with probing depth of 2mm and bleeding on probing in each quadrant participated in this split mouth clinical trial study. Following the initial evaluation of Plaque Index (PI), Bleeding Index (BI) and Gingival Index (GI), all patient received oral hygiene instruction, polishing and SRP (Scaling & Root Planning) if needed and their quadrants were affected by chlorhexidine impregnated floss in one side and dental floss in another side randomly. The measurements were repeated at 3 & 6 weeks. Then data were analyzed statistically within each group (Paired T Test) and between the groups (T Test) with an α-error level less than 0.05. Results : Both methods presented significant improvement in PI and GI after 3 & 6 weeks and chlorhexidine impregnated floss showed a significantly greater reduction in PI after 3 weeks (1.5±0.7) and GI after 6 weeks (1.2±0.4) as compared to dental floss alone Conclusion : The results indicated that chlorhexidine impregnated floss provided a more significant improvement of clinical outcomes than dental floss alone and recommends long term studies on various samples to validate these results