Chlorhexidine mouthwash
Which of the items that are highly recommended for oral and dental hygiene is mouthwash. Mouthwashes are an auxiliary method of brushing and flossing. In addition to cleaning the surfaces of the teeth, these materials create a pleasant smell in the mouth. Some types of these mouthwashes have antibacterial and antimicrobial effects. One of the types of these substances that we are talking about in this article is Chlorhexidine mouthwash.
Good mouthwash properties
A good antibacterial mouthwash should have a series of features. The characteristics of this antimicrobial mouthwash are:
- not toxic
- It is only for pathogenic bacteria and does not cause the increase of resistant bacteria and excessive growth of opportunistic organisms.
- It does not irritate the mucous membrane
- Do not change the color of the teeth
- Its systemic absorption is low or not absorbed systemically at all
- It is easy to use.
Application of chlorhexidine in dentistry
Chlorhexidine mouthwash is used both in the dental office by professionals and at home.
In the dental office
Immediately before the use of rotating devices and ultrasonic scaling devices by the dentist, which is accompanied by air diffusion in the form of an aerosol, the consumption of chlorhexidine by the patient reduces the chance of spreading transferable microbial agents in the office environment and reduces the pollution of the clinic environment. Also, this substance is used to wash the root canal of the tooth.
At home
Temporarily, when brushing is not possible, mouthwash can be used as a substitute for a toothbrush. For example, when following oral surgery or gum surgery, it is not possible to use a toothbrush due to the presence of wounds and stitches. In this situation, the healing of wounds and oral injuries is accelerated by chemical control of microbial plaque.
Or when to treat jaw fractures, two jaws are fixed to each other by devices and the person is unable to open his mouth and use a toothbrush. Of course, it should be remembered that normally mouthwash cannot be used as a substitute for a toothbrush in controlling microbial plaque and cleaning dental surfaces, but it is better to use mouthwash along with brushing to complete it.
Function
One of the advantages of chlorhexidine is its strong connection and adhesion to most areas of the mouth, which causes this substance to be released gradually and slowly after adhesion, and in a period, it constantly provides an antimicrobial environment in the mouth. Most researchers think that the mechanism of action of chlorhexidine is related to the strong tendency of this substance to stick and bind strongly to the bacterial membrane.
After the chlorhexidine molecule binds to the bacterial membrane, the permeability of the said membrane increases, and due to the disruption of the osmotic balance on both sides of the cell wall, some of the intracellular contents with low molecular weight leave the cell. This phenomenon occurs in the presence of small amounts of chlorhexidine, while in higher amounts, this substance is deposited in the cytoplasm. Moreover, due to its cationic properties, chlorhexidine inhibits the action of glycolysis in bacteria, thereby reducing the production of acid by microbial plaque and thus raising the pH of the mouth.
