Chlorhexidine concentration in saliva after topical treatment with an antibacterial dental varnish

PURPOSE: To evaluate the salivary levels of chlorhexidine (CHX) after a single professional treatment with an antibacterial dental varnish (Cervitec) containing 1% CHX and 1% thymol. METHODS: Unstimulated whole saliva from 21 healthy young adults was collected at baseline and up to 24 hours after treatment at designated time intervals and the CHX levels in saliva were quantified with high-performance liquid chromatography. Post-treatment saliva samples were added to suspensions of mutans streptococci and supragingival dental plaque for a growth inhibition. RESULTS: CHX concentration in saliva showed a peak value (76.5 microg/ml) after 5 minutes followed by a slow decrease with time. The elevation was statistically significant (P < 0.05) up to 4 hours after the application of the varnish and the recorded values were back to baseline levels after 24 hours. The 2- and 4-hour post-treatment saliva samples inhibited growth of mutans streptococci by 46% and 33%, respectively.