Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33075450›Full record

ReviewJournal of dentistry2020

Current uses of chlorhexidine for management of oral disease: a narrative review.

Zoë L S Brookes, Raul Bescos, Louise A Belfield, Kamran Ali, Anthony Roberts

Registry-linked trialOpen access · greenAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of dentistry, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06077032 (Chlorhexidine and Garlic Extract as Potential Topical Virucidal Therapeutic Agents of Non-Genital Warts), which is not on this map. Cited by 181 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
181citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
29.1field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06077032 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Chlorhexidine and Garlic Extract as Potential Topical Virucidal Therapeutic Agents of Non-Genital Warts: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, Blinded Clinical Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorAssiut UniversityRan2023 to 2025Enrolled90ConditionsNon-Genital WartsArmsgarlic extract (15%) solution, topical chlorhexidine (2%) solution, Saline
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

181 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 380 citations in OpenAlex.

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  7. [Efficacy of 1% povidone-iodine mouthwash combined with scaling and root planing in the treatment of periodontitis: a randomized, controlled trial].Hua xi kou qiang yi xue za zhi = Huaxi kouqiang yixue zazhi = West China journal of stomatology · 2025
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121 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Zoë L S BrookesPeninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK. Electronic address: zoe.brookes@plymouth.ac.uk.
Raul BescosSchool of Health Professions, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK.
Louise A BelfieldPeninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK.
Kamran AliPeninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK.
Anthony RobertsCork University Dental School and Hospital/University College Cork, Wilton, Cork, T12 E8YV, Ireland.
University of Plymouth · GBUniversity College Cork · IE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesChlorhexidine (CHX) is a commonly used antiseptic mouthwash, used by dental practitioners and the public, due to its antimicrobial effects. The aim of this article was to provide a narrative review of current antimicrobial uses of CHX relevant to dentistry in the context of oral diseases, highlighting need for further studies to support its safe and appropriate use. STUDY SELECTION, DATA AND SOURCES: Randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and national (UK and US) guidelines were consulted where available, with search terms for each subject category entered into MEDLINE, PubMed, Google Scholar and the Cochrane database.

resultsSome evidence existed to support adjunctive short-term use of CHX to manage dental plaque, and reduce clinical symptoms of gingivitis, dry socket, as well as reduce aerosolisation of bacteria. However, use must be weighed alongside the less desirable effects of CHX, including extrinsic staining of teeth, antimicrobial resistance to antiseptic agents and the rare, but fatal, allergic reactions to CHX. Conversely, evidence for the effectiveness of chlorhexidine to manage or prevent periodontitis, dental caries, necrotising periodontal diseases, peri-implantitis, and infections associated with extraction and aerosolised viruses remains less certain.

conclusionsThe use of CHX in dentistry and oral healthcare continues to be widespread and thus it is important that dental practitioners understand that, based on its differential mechanisms of action on different microbes, appropriate clinical and dental use of CHX should be oral disease specific. However, further scientific and clinical research is required before full recommendations can be made.

Indexed as

Anti-Infective Agents, LocalDental CariesChlorhexidineDentistsHumansMouthwashesProfessional RoleAnti-Infective Agents, LocalChlorhexidineMouthwashesbacteriacarieschlorhexidinemouthwashperiodontitisvirus

Identifiers

PMID33075450
PMCPMC7567658
OpenAlexW3092880427

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.