Effect of Post-operative Chlorhexidine on Postoperative Pain and Complications After Surgical Removal of Mandibular Third Molars

Effect of Post-operative Chlorhexidine on Postoperative Pain and Complications After Surgical Removal of Mandibular Third Molars: a Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aimed to assess the impact of postoperative chlorhexidine use on pain management following mandibular third molar removal

In this prospective, randomized controlled trial,130 patients who underwent mandibular third molar surgical removal were divided into two groups: one group used chlorhexidine for postoperative rinsing and the other did not rinse. Pain levels, measured using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), were recorded daily for the first seven days post-surgery. Paired-samples t-tests were utilized for data analysis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy adults (18+) referred by their dentist for third molar removal

Exclusion Criteria:

• active pericoronitis or other infections
• planned coronectomy
• trismus
• chronic pain
• pregnancy
• known allergies to local anesthesia