Chemotherapeutic agents for controlling plaque and gingivitis.

There has been a vigorous search for many years for chemical agents that could supplement or even supplant patient-dependent mechanical plaque control and thus reduce or prevent oral disease. 5 categories of agents or approaches have been considered: (1) broad spectrum antiseptics, (2) antibiotics aimed at specific bacteria, (3) single or combinations of enzymes that could modify plaque structure or activity, (4) non-enzymatic dispersing or modifying agents and (5) agents that could affect bacterial attachment. The success of these approaches can be evaluated clinically by the use of standard scoring methods for measuring plaque and gingivitis and their safety established by soft tissue and microbiologic examination. Antiseptic agents have received the bulk of the attention over the years. At present, only 2 antiseptics, the bis-biguanide, chlorhexidine gluconate (Peridex) and a combination of phenol related essential oils (Listerine), have developed sufficient supporting data in 6-month (or longer) studies to gain the approval of the Council On Dental Therapeutics of the American Dental Association. On the basis of short-term studies, cetylpyridinium chloride, zinc and copper salts, sanguinarine and octenidine warrant continued study as does stannous fluoride at an appropriate concentration. On the basis of current research, a new generation of more specific antibacterial agents that interfere with attachment to pellicle can be developed. It is hard to predict, however, that they will affect gingivitis, at least until there is more information on what specific organisms should be targeted.