Chlorhexidine is available only with your dentist's or medical doctor's prescription. Before using Periogard So, what are we going to do about this? We need to target plaque and treat inflammation. Dental hygienists are truly the periodontal oral healthcare champions of our practice. They are on the front line of disseminating oral self-care instructions to our patients on a daily basis. Along with explaining the ravages of periodontal disease to our patients, they give fastidious oral hygiene instruction including brushing, flossing and rinsing. Rinsing should be an integral part of basic oral hygiene instructions.

Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors. To minimize discoloration, you should brush and floss daily, emphasizing areas which begin to discolor. The recommended use of PerioGard is twice daily rinsing for 30 seconds, morning and evening after tooth brushing. The usual dosage is 15 ml (marked in cap) of undiluted PerioGard. What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Periogard? Stop using chlorhexidine dental treatments and speak to a dentist, doctor or pharmacist if your mouth is:For patients having coexisting gingivitis and periodontitis, see PRECAUTIONS. DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION If you have any of the following symptoms, it may be a sign of a more serious infection. Stop using chlorhexidine sore throat treatments and speak to a doctor if you: If you develop allergic symptoms such as skin rash, itch, generalized swelling, breathing difficulties, lightheadedness, rapid heart rate, upset stomach or diarrhea, seek medical attention immediately. PerioGard® should not be used by persons who have a sensitivity to it or its components. Shetty BS, Udupa SL, Udupa AL, Somayaji SN. Effect of centella asiatica L (Umbelliferae) on normal and dexamethasone-supressed would healing in wistar albino rats. Int J Low Extrem Wounds. 2006;5(3):137-143

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: mouth or skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/ tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical Both stain and tartar can be removed by your dentist or hygienist. PerioGard® may cause permanent discoloration of some front-tooth fillings. Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of this medicine in the elderly with use in other age groups. Breastfeeding Chlorhexidine is usually a safe medicine if you follow the instructions that come with it. However, do not use more than the recommended dose.

6. How to cope with the side effects of chlorhexidine

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. Tell all of your health care providers that you take Periogard (chlorhexidine gluconate (oral)). This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. The most common side effects associated with chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse USP, 0.12% are: (1) an increase in staining of teeth and other oral surfaces, (2) an increase in calculus formation, and (3) an alteration in taste perception; see WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS. Oral irritation and local allergy-type symptoms have been spontaneously reported as side effects associated with use of chlorhexidine gluconate rinse. The following oral mucosal side effects were reported during placebo-controlled adult clinical trials: aphthous ulcer, grossly obvious gingivitis, trauma, ulceration, erythema, desquamation, coated tongue, keratinization, geographic tongue, mucocele, and short frenum. Each occurred at a frequency of less than 1.0%.

Chlorhexidine treatments are generally very safe. Many people use them without having any side effects at all. Side effects with skin treatments Brush and floss your teeth before rinsing. Rinse with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of Periogard (chlorhexidine gluconate (oral)) for 30 seconds. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan on getting pregnant, or are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks Among postmarketing reports, the most frequently reported oral mucosal symptoms associated with chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse USP, 0.12% are stomatitis, gingivitis, glossitis, ulcer, dry mouth, hypesthesia, glossal edema, and paresthesia. Talk to a doctor, dentist or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or last for more than a few days:There are no common side effects with chlorhexidine skin treatments. However, in rare cases, some people may get red, itchy or irritated skin. It may be because you are using too much lotion or cream where you have folds or creases in your skin, such as around your groin.

Serious heart symptoms such as fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in your chest; shortness of breath; and sudden dizziness, lightheartedness, or passing out; Pediatric Use: Clinical effectiveness and safety of PerioGard® have not been established in children under the age of 18.PerioGard® can cause staining of oral surfaces, such as tooth surfaces, restorations, and the dorsum of the tongue. Not all patients will experience a visually significant increase in tooth staining. In clinical testing, 56% of the chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse USP, 0.12% users exhibited a measurable increase in facial anterior stain, compared to 35% of control users after six months; 15% of the chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse USP, 0.12% users developed what was judged to be heavy stain, compared to 1% of control users after six months. Stain will be more pronounced in patients who have heavier accumulations of unremoved plaque. Stain resulting from the use of PerioGard® does not adversely affect health of the gingivae or other oral tissues. Stain can be removed from most tooth surfaces by conventional professional prophylactic techniques. Additional time may be required to complete the prophylaxis. Discretion should be used when prescribing to patients with anterior facial restorations with rough surfaces or margins. If natural stain cannot be removed from these surfaces by a dental prophylaxis, patients should be excluded from PerioGard® treatment if permanent discoloration is unacceptable. Stain in these areas may be difficult to remove by dental prophylaxis and on rare occasions may necessitate replacement of these restorations. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine. Other Interactions