Effectiveness of Chlorhexidine Varnish on the Prevention of Root Caries: A Narrative Review

Root surface caries is a common problem encountered in elderly dental patients. It is an increasingly serious problem; especially amongst the institutionalized elderly population where poor oral hygiene arises primarily from the lack of appropriate supervision and support from care staff. The prevention of caries on the root surface is targeted at the control of plaque. As it is difficult to ensure adequate plaque removal by mechanical means, there lies an interest in the use of antimicrobial agents as replacements or to be adjuncts to the mechanical approaches. Among all chemical plaque control agents, chlorhexidine has proven to be effective. Chlorhexidine (CHX) has been studied as an antimicrobial agent for the chemical control of plaque formation and the prevention of root caries. It is bactericidal at higher concentrations. Its antibacterial spectrum covers Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, yeast, and virus. The inhibition of Streptococcus mutans was persistent with CHX varnishes (CHX-V), followed by gels and mouthwashes, and also helped to control established root lesions and also reduced the root caries lesion incidence. This article provides a review regarding the effectiveness of CHX-V on the prevention of root caries.