Priming the tooth surface with chlorhexidine and antibacterial activity of resin cement

To evaluate the effect of priming the tooth surface with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate on antibacterial activity of resin cement.

Ten patients in whom a single missing tooth was present on both the right and left side in the upper or lower arch were selected. Two fixed partial dentures (FPDs) in each patient on the right and left side were planned. Each FPD was assigned either to the control or test group. In the control group, FPD was luted with resin cement and in the test group, the tooth surface was primed with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate before luting with resin cement. Bacteriological samples were collected at base line level, as the patient came to the outpatient department before the start of any treatment, 5 wk prior to cementation of FPD and at 13 wk (8 wk after final cementation). Microbiological processing of all samples was done and the results were statistically analyzed.

In the test group, a predominance of aerobic/facultative gram positive cocci rod was seen which indicates a healthy periodontal site, whereas in the control group, a predominance of anaerobic gram negative rods was present which indicates an unhealthy periodontal condition. This is evident by the fact that the anaerobic bacteria percentage in the control sample is 57% and 15% in the test sample after 13 wk, whereas the aerobic/facultative bacteria percentage is 43% in the control sample and 85% in the test sample after 13 wk. The percentage of gram negative bacteria in the control sample is 61% and in the test sample is 20% after 13 wk, whereas the percentage of gram positive bacteria in the control sample is 39% and in the test sample is 80% after 13 wk. The shift from anaerobic gram negative bacteria to aerobic gram positive bacteria is clearly seen from the control to test sample after 13 wk.

The present study demonstrated that priming the tooth surface with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate may enhance antibacterial activity of the resin cement.