title: Oral antiseptic and periodontitis: a clinical and microbiological study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the efficacy of a xanthan-based chlorhexidine gel (Xan-CHX) used as antiseptic in periodontal pockets after scaling and root planing in patients with generalized mild-severe chronic periodontitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  30 systemically healthy patients, 15 males and 15 females (mean age 54,1 ± 6,9 years), diagnosed for chronic periodontitis were enrolled in this study. For each patient, in the 1(st) and 4(th) quadrant was applied antiseptic (Test sites); while the 2nd and 3rd were treated with the only mechanical causal therapy without using chemical agents (Control sites). Sub gingival plaque, gingival bleeding (BOP+), plaque index (PI-Plaque Control Record) and Probing Depths (PD) were evaluated at baseline (prior to any treatment) and after 4 weeks (21 days after treatment).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the mechanical causal therapy has a good effect in reducing the clinical indices, but the addition of antiseptics provides a significantly improvement in the PI, BOP and frequency of periodontopathic bacteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The application of xanthan-based chlorhexidine (Xan-CHX) gel offers a great benefit in improving of the indices of periodontal disease, proving to be essential as adjunctive therapy in patients with a serious or moderate high chronic periodontitis, and of course as part of a program of periodontal treatment.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mummolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Sciences, Dental School, University "G. D'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini, 31 66100, Chieti, Italy; Tel. +3908713554063; e-mail: simonetta.dercole@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Ercole
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marchetti
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Campanella
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marzo
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tripodi