Summary Review/Periodontal
Evidence-Based Dentistry (2009) 10, 44. doi:10.1038/sj.ebd.6400647
Cetylpyridinium chloride-containing mouth rinses and plaque control
Question: Is the use of a of cetylpyridinium chloride-containing mouth rinses as an adjunct to toothbrushing more effective than toothbrushing alone in preventing plaque accumulation and gingivitis?
Address for correspondence: Fridus van der Weijden, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Department of Periodontology, Louwesweg 1, 1066 EA Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: ga.vd.weijden@acta.nl
David Herrera1
1Section of Periodontics, Faculty of Odontology, University Complutense, Madrid, Spain
Haps S, Slot DE, Berchier CE, Van der Weijden GA. The effect of cetylpyridinium chloride-containing mouth rinses as adjuncts to toothbrushing on plaque and parameters of gingival inflammation: a systematic review. Int J Dent Hyg 2008; 6: 290–303
Abstract
Data Sources
Medline and the Cochrane Central register of controlled trials were used to identify relevant reports.
Study selection
Randomised controlled trials and controlled clinical trials were included if they were of 
4 weeks' duration, were conducted in people of 18 years of age and in good general health, and used plaque/ bleeding/ gingivitis or pocket depth as outcome measures. Case reports, letters and narrative or historical reviews were excluded and only English language papers were considered.
Data extraction and synthesis
Descriptive comparisons are presented for brushing only or for brushing and rinsing and, where appropriate, a meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model.
Results
Eight studies met the inclusion criteria and they showed a small but significant additional benefit of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) use.
Conclusions
The existing evidence supports the use of CPC-containing mouthrinses as adjuncts to either supervised or unsupervised oral hygiene as they provide a small but significant additional benefit in reducing plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation.
