Prescribing Chlorhexidine-Based Mouthwashes: Assessment of the Level of Knowledge of Undergraduate Dentistry Students
Lidiane Fumiko Takeda1, Flavia Nicolle Stefani Vassallo2, Alexandre do Valle Wuo3, Leopoldo Penteado Nucci da Silva4 and Irineu Gregnanin Pedron5*
1Post-graduation Student, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
2Professor, Department of Endodontics, Social and Forensic Dentistry, Universidade Braz Cubas, Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil.
3Professor, Department of Periodontology and Oral Surgery, Universidade Braz Cubas, Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil.
4Researcher, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Dental Surgeon, Hospital Universitario Prof. Alberto Antunes, Alagoas, Brazil; Professor, Centro Universitario Afya Maceio, Alagoas, Brazil.
5Professor, Department of Periodontology and Integrated Clinic, Universidade Braz Cubas, Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil.
*Corresponding Author: Irineu Gregnanin Pedron, Professor, Department of Periodontology and Integrated Clinic, Universidade Braz Cubas, Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil.
https://doi.org/10.58624/SVOADE.2025.06.030
Received: September 21, 2025
Published: October 15, 2025
Citation: Takeda LF, Vassallo FNS, do Valle Wuo A, da Silva LPN, Pedron IG. Prescribing Chlorhexidine-Based Mouthwashes: Assessment of the Level of Knowledge of Undergraduate Dentistry Students. SVOA Dentistry 2025, 6:5, 188-192. doi: 10.58624/SVOADE.2025.06.030
Abstract
Chlorhexidine is a potent oral antiseptic used in periodontics and prior to dental surgery. However, chlorhexidine antagonises some substances present in toothpaste. If these antagonistic relationships are not taken into account, the use of chlorhexidine-based mouthwashes will not be effective for their intended purposes. The knowledge of undergraduate Dentistry students about the correct prescription of chlorhexidine-based mouthwashes is, usually, poor. Development: This study consisted of a descriptive and cross-sectional approach, using as a data collection instrument a structured online questionnaire, with an open formulation of a dental prescription. Students of the Integrated Clinic course unit who had already taken Periodontology courses were invited to participate in this study. The undergraduate students prepared a prescription for chlorhexidine-based mouthwash to a fictitious patient with periodontal disease. In this sense, undergraduate students (n = 271) from the School of Dentistry of the University of Sa o Paulo volunteered for this study. Of these, 35.05% (n = 95) answered the questionnaire correctly and 64.95% (n = 176; p = 0.021; x2 = 22.46) answered the prescription incorrectly. Conclusion: The data obtained allowed us to demonstrate a weak appropriation of knowledge by dental students regarding the prescription of chlorhexidine-based mouthwashes for their effective use.
Keywords: Chlorhexidine; Chlorhexidine/Antagonists and Inhibitors; Dental Plaque; Dentifrices; Periodontal Diseases
