The effect of hexetidine mouthwash on the prevention of plaque and gingival inflammation: a systematic review.

To review the literature concerning hexetidine-containing mouthwash as a monotherapy or as an adjunct to oral hygiene in the prevention of plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation. PubMed-MEDLINE and the Cochrane-CENTRAL were searched through January 2010 to identify appropriate studies. The primary outcome measurements were plaque accumulation and gingivitis parameters. Independent screening of titles and abstracts of 168 papers resulted in six publications that met the eligibility criteria. Mean values and standard deviations were obtained by data extraction. Descriptive comparisons are presented for hexetidine mouthwash and control mouthwashes (chlorhexidine and placebo). Considering the potential benefits in the light of the observed side effects, hexetidine appears to be a poor alternative to chlorhexidine.