ABSTRACT
This study examines the effect of chlorhexidine gluconate, and povidone- iodine solutions as pericoronal lavage and mouth rinse on patients with score 2 or 3 pericoronitis. Patients were divided at random into three groups. Group 1 irrigated with chlorhexidine gluconate, group 2 irrigated with povidone-iodine, and group 3 irrigated with normal saline and served as control. Lavage was performed once daily for two consecutive days. Every patient was rinsing with the same irrigant t.d.s for 5 days. Bacteriologic samples for culture and Gram's staining were taken from the pericoronal pouches of lower third molar teeth before and after lavage at 2 consecutive days. Pericoronal index scores were recorded for every patient before and after treatment. Results have shown that the predominant microflora of the 80 examined patients were highly anaerobic, and that both chlorhexidine gluconate and povidone iodine significantly reduced the degree of pericoronal inflammation and bacterial counts. No difference was found between the two agents. It can be concluded that local antimicrobial irrigating solutions when used as pericoronal lavage can effectively treat cases of score 2 and score 3 pericoronitis without the need for systemic antibiotics