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Chlorhexidine is an effective antiseptic which is widely used in dentistry. Over recent years, it has also been used in other healthcare products as well as in cosmetics. Anaphylaxis to chlorhexidine has been increasingly reported throughout the world, including two incidents in the UK where chlorhexidine-containing mouthwash had been used to wash tooth sockets following recent tooth extraction. Chlorhexidine is under-recognized as a cause of anaphylaxis and dentists should be aware of its potential for serious adverse effects. Dentists need to consider whether the washing out of a tooth socket with chlorhexidine solution should be avoided in the treatment of established dry socket. On current evidence the potential risks of using chlorhexidine as irrigation solution for treating an established dry socket appears to outweigh any known benefit.
CPD/Clinical Relevance: Chlorhexidine has the potential to cause anaphylaxis in the dental surgery.
Article
Over the last 50 years, chlorhexidine has become widely used in dentistry, in healthcare in general, and in cosmetics, and it is likely that its use will continue to grow. With this increase in use there are increasing possibilities for adverse effects of which the dental practitioner should be aware.
Chlorhexidine is a widely used antiseptic with which all dental practitioners are familiar. It has been extensively used in dentistry, most frequently for the control of dental plaque and reduction of gingivitis since the 1970s, following studies showing 0.1–0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash to be of benefit.1,2 Chlorhexidine has also become available for oral use in toothpaste, sprays, gels and periodontal chips.
Chlorhexidine is also widely used as an antiseptic on the skin. In the early 1990s, chlorhexidine began to be incorporated into the composition of medical devices including catheters, skin dressings and surgical mesh.
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