Pre-procedural Mouth Rinse — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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EasyPharmacologyPre-procedural Mouth RinseMFDS Part 1

A dental team elects to use a pre-procedural antiseptic rinse before ultrasonic scaling, with the limited aim of reducing bacterial colony-forming units in the resulting aerosol. Which listed concentration is appropriate as a ready-to-use mouth rinse?

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Correct answer: A — Chlorhexidine digluconate 0.2%

Explanation lettering: D = shown as B · E = shown as C · B = shown as D · C = shown as E

A is correct. Chlorhexidine digluconate 0.2% is a UK-authorised oromucosal mouthwash, and clinical studies indicate that pre-procedural chlorhexidine can reduce bacterial colony-forming units recovered from aerosols generated during procedures such as ultrasonic scaling. Sodium hypochlorite 5% is used as an endodontic irrigant, while hydrogen peroxide 30% is a concentrate and is unsuitable for direct oral rinsing. Povidone-iodine 10% is not a standard ready-to-use oral-rinse concentration, and cetrimide lacks comparable evidence and an appropriate routine mouth-rinse formulation. Importantly, reduced bacterial counts must not be equated with reduced infection transmission. SDCEP does not recommend universal pre-procedural antimicrobial rinsing to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Reference: Koletsi D et al. Interventions to Reduce Aerosolized Microbes in Dental Practice: A Systematic Review with Network Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Dental Research. 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32660314/