TO COMPARE THE EFFECT OF ROOT SURFACE DEBRIDEMENT WITH AND WITHOUT CHLORHEXIDINE MOUTHWASH IN STAGE III AND STAGE IV PERIODONTITIS PATIENTS

Background: To compare the clinical effectiveness of chlorhexidine mouthwash with and without root surface debridement in patients with Stage lll and Stage IV periodontitis.Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted at Sardar Begum Dental College from July 2024 to November 2024. A total of 72 patients with Stage lll and Stage IV periodontitis ‘were randomly allocated into two groups One group received RSD followed by CHX at home for 2 weeks and other group received RSD alone with regular oral hygien instructions. Clinical parameters, including probing pocket depth (PPD) and bleeding on probing (BOP), were recorded at baseline and after 3 months. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, with p < 0.05 considered significant.Results: Both groups demonstrated significant reductions in mean PPD and BOP at 3 months compared to baseline (p < 0.001). The RSD-only group showed a mean PPD reduction of –2.1 ± 0.6 mm and a BOP reduction of –35.7 ± 9.1%, while the CHX + RSD group showed reductions of –2.3 ± 0.7 mm and –37.3 ± 9.6%, respectively. However, the between-group differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05).Conclusion: Chlorhexidine mouthwash significantly improves periodontal parameters in Stage lll and Stage IV periodontitis, but the addition of root surface debridement does not provide additional short-term clinical benefit. Longer-term studies are needed to determine whether combined therapy offers superior outcomes.