title: Clinical and microbiological effects of local chlorhexidine applications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of an application of chlorhexidine varnish (40%) on dental plaque.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised controlled clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  40 patients (50% females), aged 25-34 years after undergoing any necessary restorative treatment. Exactly one half of these individuals practiced good oral hygiene, the efforts of the others were poor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Test groups received a chlorhexidine varnish application, the control group received a placebo varnish. Initially and after 2 and 6 weeks, a modified Dentocult SM-test, bleeding on probing, and a plaque index (Quigley-Hein) were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In contrast to the control group, improvements in plaque index and bleeding on probing scores were found in patients with poor oral hygiene. The results of the Dentocult SM-tests showed a considerable reduction of streptococcus colonisation. The test group with good oral hygiene showed only slight improvement of the examined indices after chlorhexidine application. The index parameters of all patients of the placebo groups remained unchanged over the examination time period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The application of a chlorhexidine varnish reduced the quantity of the Streptococcus mutans colonies significantly and improved clinical parameters in patients with elevated plaque accumulation.
authors.affiliation: University Dental Clinic Bonn, Department of Periodontology and Operative Dentistry, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frentzen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ploenes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Braun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007764:Lacquer; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010919:Placebos; D011934:Reagent Strips; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D010919:Placebos; D011934:Reagent Strips; D002710:Chlorhexidine