Effect of chlorhexidine on dental plaque and gingivitis in mentally retarded children.

The purpose of the investigation was to determine the effect of chlorhexidine mouthrinses as a supplement to toothbrushing in the plaque control of mentally retarded children. Fifty-four mentally subnormal children 7-14 years of age took part in the investigation. During the first period, half of the children rinsed their mouths with 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate solution twice a day. The rest of the children used a placebo mouthrinse. After a n 8-week interval a "cross-over" experiment was carried out during which a 0.1% chlorhexidine solution was used. Plaque and gingival indices were scored at the beginning of each period, after 3 weeks, and at the termination after 6 weeks. The results revealed that mouthrinses with 0.1% as well as 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate reduced plaque and gingivitis in mentally retarded children. The results were statistically significant (P is less than 0.05) for both concentrations. Furthermore, the investigation confirmed the occurrence of certain side effects such as discoloration of teeth and tongues.