A CLINICIAN PERSPECTIVE ON ANTIMICROBIAL MOUTHRINSES

Today's dental professional must advise patients as to the antimicrobi al mouthrinse appropriate for their periodontal condition. Considerati ons such as chemical nature, mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety of mouthrinses are important to the clinician. Taste and cost are equ ally important considerations to the patient. No ideal antimicrobial m outhrinse exists; yet, chlorhexidine gluconate (Peridex), Listerine, a nd two of its generic equivalents have the American Dental Association 's Seal of Acceptance. An expanded role of antimicrobial mouthrinses t hat holds promise is that of preprocedural rinsing. This protocol can decrease the number of microorganisms aerosolized during numerous dent al procedures.