What do systematic reviews say?

Subgingival chlorhexidine irrigation vs Chlorhexidine mouthwash

Subgingival chlorhexidine irrigation led to lower marginal bleeding compared with chlorhexidine mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for replacing missing teeth: maintaining and recovering soft tissue health around dental implants 2010 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 months
  MD -0.17 [-0.19, -0.15]
  1 study · 24 participants
  GRADE not reported

Subgingival chlorhexidine irrigation vs Chlorhexidine mouthwash

Subgingival chlorhexidine irrigation led to lower plaque compared with chlorhexidine mouthwash; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for replacing missing teeth: maintaining and recovering soft tissue health around dental implants 2010 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 months
  MD -0.20 [-0.24, -0.16]
  1 study · 24 participants
  GRADE not reported

Full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival instrumentation) of all quadrants within 24 hours plus adjunctive antiseptic (chlorhexidine) treatments (rinsing, pocket irrigation, tongue/tonsil brushing) vs Quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in separate sessions at least one week apart

• Full‐mouth treatment modalities (within 24 hours) for periodontitis in adults 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Pocket closure (number/proportion of sites with PPD <=4 mm after treatment): 9 studies reported; all showed an increase in closed pockets after treatment; 8 of 9 found no between-group difference; Koshy 2005 found a…
  9 studies
  GRADE not reported

Full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival instrumentation) of all quadrants within 24 hours plus adjunctive antiseptic (chlorhexidine) treatments (rinsing, pocket irrigation, tongue/tonsil brushing) vs Quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in separate sessions at least one week apart

• Full‐mouth treatment modalities (within 24 hours) for periodontitis in adults 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
  13 studies provided adverse-event/participant-reported information; 3 reported an event after FMD or FMS; most important harm was increased body temperature. FMD/chlorhexidine-specific harms reported by Fonseca 2015…
  13 studies
  GRADE not reported

Full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival instrumentation) of all quadrants within 24 hours plus adjunctive antiseptic (chlorhexidine) treatments (rinsing, pocket irrigation, tongue/tonsil brushing) vs Quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in separate sessions at least one week apart

Full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival… showed no clear difference in change in probing pocket depth (PPD) compared with quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in… (low certainty).

• Full‐mouth treatment modalities (within 24 hours) for periodontitis in adults 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 to 8 months (SoF); similar at 3 to 4 months
  MD 0.11 [-0.04, 0.27]
  6 studies · 214 participants
  Low

Full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival instrumentation) of all quadrants within 24 hours plus adjunctive antiseptic (chlorhexidine) treatments (rinsing, pocket irrigation, tongue/tonsil brushing) vs Quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in separate sessions at least one week apart

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Full‐mouth treatment modalities (within 24 hours) for periodontitis in adults 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Tooth loss: None of the studies comparing FMD vs control reported tooth loss.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival instrumentation) of all quadrants within 24 hours plus adjunctive antiseptic (chlorhexidine) treatments (rinsing, pocket irrigation, tongue/tonsil brushing) vs Quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in separate sessions at least one week apart

It is very uncertain whether full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival… changes change in bleeding on probing (BOP) compared with quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in… (very low certainty).

• Full‐mouth treatment modalities (within 24 hours) for periodontitis in adults 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 to 8 months (SoF); similar at 3 to 4 months
  MD 9.54 [-2.24, 21.32]
  4 studies · 92 participants
  Very low

Full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival instrumentation) of all quadrants within 24 hours plus adjunctive antiseptic (chlorhexidine) treatments (rinsing, pocket irrigation, tongue/tonsil brushing) vs Quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in separate sessions at least one week apart

Full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival… showed no clear difference in change in clinical attachment level (CAL) compared with quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in… (low certainty).

• Full‐mouth treatment modalities (within 24 hours) for periodontitis in adults 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 to 8 months (SoF); similar at 3 to 4 months
  MD 0.07 [-0.11, 0.24]
  6 studies · 214 participants
  Low