The effect of chlorhexidine gluconate 0,12% rinse in reducing dry socket following teeth extraction in smoker patients : randomized clinical trail (triple blind)

Dry socket is a potential postoperative complication of dental extractions. Smoking is a wellknown factor to increase the risk of dry socket formation. Chlorhexidine is a biguanide antiseptic agent often used as an active ingredient in mouth-wash.
This randomized clinical study has been undertaken to clinically evaluate the efficacy a use of 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate mouth rinse in prevention of dry socket at smoker patients, and was carried out on 53 smoker patients with mesial impacted mandibular third molar in both sides reported to department of maxillofacial surgery Syrian Private University, requiring extraction both side.
Surgical side and the rinse solution were chosen randomly.
Group A: the patients received a bottle of 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash with mint flavor to start using it on the day before and the day after the extraction twice daily for 7 days.
Group B: they received a bottle of aqua distillate with mint flavor to start using as directed in bottle A. Patients were followed in the 3rd and 5th day postoperative for: pain, presence or absence of clot, alveolar bone.
In the side where the patients used battle A (with chlorhexidine gluconate) we diagnosed 13 cases (24,5%) of dry socket (p=0.041) significant difference, and in the control side where patients used bottle B (without chlorhexidine gluconate) we diagnosed 33 cases (62,26%) (p=0.039) significant difference.
0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash following molars extraction before and after extraction for seven days significantly decreased the incidence of dry socket in smoker patients.
Therefore, 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash may be preferably used over.