Two year oral use of chlorhexidine in man. II. The effect on the salivary bacterial flora.

Abstract

One group of 61 students rinsed once daily with 10 ml of a 0.2 per cent solution of chlorhexidine gluconate for two years and another group of 59 students rinsed with 10 ml of a placebo solution. Both groups were otherwise kept on the same oral hygiene programme. The number of total anaerobes, aerobes and streptococci in saliva was followed regularly before, during and after the treatment, in all for 2 years and 7 months. At the same time the number in saliva of large gram negative rods of the enteric types was followed, as was the presence of Streptococcus mutans. It is concluded that treatment with chlorhexidine resulted in a 30 to 50 per cent reduction in the number of bacteria in saliva without producing a detectable shift. A change in. the population of large gram negative rods was not observed, however, the number of students from whom Streptococcus mutans could be isolated from saliva decreased during the treatment.