COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF OCTENIDINE WITH CHLORHEXIDINE MOUTHWASH IN GINGIVITIS AND PERIODONTITIS PATIENTS: A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

Objectives: Chlorhexidine (CHX) is considered the most effective mouthwash for plaque control, but its long-term use is limited by side effects such as tooth discoloration and taste alteration. Octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT) is an antiseptic that has shown potential in preventing plaque co-aggregation without disturbing healthy oral flora. This study aimed to compare the clinical effectiveness of a 0.1% Octenidine mouthwash with a 0.2% Chlorhexidine mouthwash in patients with gingivitis and periodontitis. Methodology: A two week single blinded study was conducted on 20 patients with gingivitis and periodontitis, subjects were divided into two groups, 10 in gingivitis and 10 in periodontitis. Then, from each group, 5 patients were advised to use octenidine mouthwash, and 5 patients were prescribed chlorhexidine mouthwash as an adjunct to scaling and root planning. Clinical parameters such as Loe and Silness Plaque index(PLI) and probing pocket depth (PPD) were recorded at baseline and on the 14th day. Results: Octenidine group demonstrated statistically significant improvements over the CHX in most clinical metrics for both gingivitis and periodontitis patients. In the periodontitis group, OCT showed significantly greater reductions in PPD. Conclusion: The 0.1% Octenidine mouthwash was more effective than the 0.2% Chlorhexidine mouthwash in improving plaque index and probing pocket depth in patients with gingivitis and periodontitis when used as an adjunct to scaling and root planing. Octenidine can be considered as a promising alternative to Chlorhexidine for therapeutic use in periodontal care.