Comparative Evaluation of Two Commercially Available Topical Gels As Adjuncts to Scaling and Root Planing for Gingival Inflammation: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Gingivitis is a common plaque-induced inflammatory periodontal disease that may progress to periodontitis if left untreated. Adjunctive topical antimicrobial agents may improve the effectiveness of conventional periodontal therapy. METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial included 120 participants with gingivitis or Stage I, Grade A periodontitis. Participants were randomly allocated to three groups: Group A received scaling and root planing (SRP) with placebo gel; Group B received SRP with 1% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) gel (CHX group); and Group C received SRP with a combination gel containing 0.5% CHX and 1.5% metronidazole (MTZ) (CHX+MTZ group). Plaque Index (PI), Gingival Index (GI), and probing pocket depth (PPD) were assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 weeks. Intergroup comparisons were performed using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test. RESULTS: All 120 participants completed the study. Baseline intergroup differences were observed for PI (p = 0.010) and GI (p < 0.001), whereas PPD was comparable (p = 0.929). At 12 weeks, both test groups had lower PI and GI scores than the placebo group. Mean PI values were 1.273 ± 0.119 in Group A, 1.229 ± 0.051 in Group B, and 1.213 ± 0.048 in Group C (p = 0.013). Mean GI values were 1.256 ± 0.097, 1.209 ± 0.053, and 1.193 ± 0.053, respectively (p = 0.003). PI and GI did not differ significantly between Groups B and C at 12 weeks. PPD also remained comparable among groups (p = 0.241). CONCLUSIONS: Both CHX gel and the CHX-MTZ combination gel were associated with improvements in plaque control and gingival inflammation when used as adjuncts to SRP. No statistically significant difference was detected between the CHX and CHX+MTZ groups at 12 weeks. Therefore, the present findings do not establish an additional clinical advantage of adding MTZ to CHX under the conditions evaluated.
Source: Cureus
Institution: Government of Himachal Pradesh
Language: English
Subfield: Periodontics
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7213766463