Non-surgical periodontal therapy with adjunctive chlorhexidine use in adults with down syndrome: a prospective case series.

BACKGROUND

Subjects with Down syndrome (DS) experience a high prevalence of periodontal disease, and the management of this disease in subjects with DS is a challenge for oral health care providers. The purpose of this case series was to follow the periodontal healing response changes over a 12-month period after non-surgical mechanical periodontal therapy with the adjunctive use of chlorhexidine and monthly recalls in adults with DS who presented initially with chronic periodontitis.

METHODS

Twenty-one subjects with DS (14 males and seven females; 25.3 +/- 5.5 years of age) with reported mild-to-moderate learning disabilities and chronic periodontitis were recruited and treated by non-surgical mechanical periodontal therapy (followed by monthly recalls) and the adjunctive use of chlorhexidine gel for toothbrushing and chlorhexidine mouthwash twice daily. Clinical data were recorded.

RESULTS

After 12 months of non-surgical mechanical periodontal therapy, the mean percentage of sites with plaque decreased from 84.1% to 23.6%, and the mean number of sites with bleeding on probing decreased from 82.1% to 29.5%. Mean probing depth decreased from 3.2 to 1.8 mm, with a mean clinical attachment level gain of 0.6 mm.

CONCLUSIONS

Satisfactory healing responses were achieved following non-surgical mechanical periodontal therapy with the adjunctive use of chlorhexidine and monthly recalls in adults with DS with chronic periodontitis and mild-to-moderate learning disabilities. Such a treatment regimen seems appropriate and beneficial for adults with DS and chronic periodontitis.