A comparison between the antibacterial and antifungal effects of chlorhexidine digluconate : an in vitro study

الملخص EN

Background : the use of antimicrobial agent to control plaque and oral disease has been advocated for a number of years.

Different compounds have been delivered through mouth rinses or tooth pastes or by topical application.

The purpose of this research is to find out and to compare between the antibacterial and antifungal properties of Chlorhexidine digluconate 0.2 %.

Materials and methods : mutans streptococci & Candida albicans were isolated from 25 saliva samples from healthy volunteers (age range between 21-23 yrs).

These isolates were purified and diagnosed according to morphological characteristics and biochemical tests.

Chlorhexidine 2mg / ml (0.2 %) was used in the in vitro ; susceptibility of Mutans streptococci and Candida albicans were tested by agar diffusion technique.

Results : agar diffusion technique showed that Chlorhexidine (0.2 %) inhibited the growth of Mutans Streptococci, and Candida albicans, but the effect of Chlorhexidine (0.2 %) on Candida albicans was more patent than on Mutans Streptococci in vitro.

There was statistically highly significant difference (p < 0.001) between the antifungal and antibacterial effects of Chlorhexidine on the sensitivity of the isolates.

Conclusion : chlorhexidine digluconate 0.2 % was more potent as an antifungal than an antibacterial agent.