An interventional study of Chlorhexidine 0.2% Gel in Postoperative Wound Healing, sponsored by University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City. Completed at 1 site in Vietnam. Open to participants aged 19 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-27.
Sponsored by University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
This study evaluates whether placing 0.2% chlorhexidine gel into the tooth socket after lower wisdom tooth surgery improves gum healing, reduces bacteria on surgical stitches, and decreases postoperative pain, swelling, and difficulty opening the mouth.
Participants require surgical removal of both lower wisdom teeth. Each participant receives both treatments in separate operations at least four weeks apart. One side is randomly assigned to receive 1 mL of chlorhexidine gel before the wound is stitched closed. The other side receives no gel and serves as the comparison. Both sides receive the same standard postoperative care.
Pain and self-reported swelling are assessed on days 1, 3, and 7 after each operation. Facial swelling, mouth opening, and gum healing are assessed on days 3 and 7. A small sample of the surgical stitch is collected on day 7 to measure bacterial growth. Participants are also monitored for dry socket during the seven-day follow-up period.
This single-center, randomized, controlled, split-mouth clinical trial compares a single application of 0.2% chlorhexidine gel with no gel after surgical removal of bilateral impacted mandibular third molars. The study is conducted at the Dental Clinic of Tien Giang General Hospital, Vietnam.
The intervention side is randomly assigned by drawing lots, with the contralateral side serving as the control. The same surgeon performs both operations using a standardized surgical protocol, with an interval of at least four weeks between procedures. After tooth removal, both sockets are curetted and irrigated with 0.9% saline. On the intervention side, 1 mL of 0.2% chlorhexidine gel is placed into the socket immediately before closure with 3-0 silk sutures. No gel is applied on the control side. Postoperative medications and care instructions are standardized for both procedures.
Postoperative assessments include patient-reported pain and swelling, changes from baseline in facial measurements and maximum mouth opening, and soft tissue healing. Healing is assessed using the Early Healing Score, which evaluates clinical signs of re-epithelialization, hemostasis, and inflammation. Total scores range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating more favorable healing.
For microbiological assessment, a 5-mm segment from the second suture knot is collected on postoperative day 7 and placed in 2 mL of sterile saline. The suspension is agitated, serially diluted, and cultured on blood agar. Colonies are counted after 48 hours, and bacterial density is calculated as colony-forming units per milliliter of the original suspension.
The analysis accounts for the paired, within-participant design. Repeated clinical outcomes are analyzed using linear mixed-effects models, with adjustment for comparisons across assessment time points.
University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City is the lead sponsor of 127 studies on the registry; 44 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The randomly assigned study side receives a single application of 1 mL of 0.2% chlorhexidine gel into the extraction socket immediately after surgical removal of the impacted mandibular third molar and before closure with 3-0 silk sutures. Standard postoperative medications and care instructions are provided.
Other: Chlorhexidine 0.2% Gel
The contralateral side undergoes surgical removal of the impacted mandibular third molar without application of gel into the extraction socket. The socket is curetted, irrigated with 0.9% saline, and closed with 3-0 silk sutures. The same standard postoperative medications and care instructions are provided. The two operations are performed at least four weeks apart.
1 mL of 0.2% chlorhexidine gel is applied locally into the extraction socket immediately after tooth removal, curettage, and saline irrigation, before suturing. No repeat application is performed.
Soft Tissue Healing
Soft tissue healing at each surgical site is assessed using the Early Healing Score (EHS), comprising clinical signs of re-epithelialization, hemostasis, and inflammation. The total score ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating more favorable healing. Scores are compared between chlorhexidine-treated and control sites within each participant.
Time frame: Postoperative days 3 and 7 after each surgery.
Bacterial load
A 5-mm segment from the second suture knot at each surgical site is collected and placed in 2 mL of sterile saline. Following agitation and dilution, the suspension is plated on blood agar, and colonies are counted after 48 hours of incubation. Bacterial density in the original suspension is expressed as colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL). Lower values indicate a lower culturable bacterial load.
Time frame: Suture sampling on postoperative day 7 after each surgery.
Postoperative Pain
Participants rate pain at each surgical site using a scale ranging from 0 to 5, with higher scores indicating greater pain severity.
Time frame: Postoperative days 1, 3, and 7 after each surgery.
Patient-Reported Swelling
Participants rate swelling on the operated side using a scale ranging from 0 to 5, with higher scores indicating greater swelling severity.
Time frame: Postoperative days 1, 3, and 7 after each surgery.
Facial Swelling
Facial swelling is assessed using three extraoral distances designated AB, CD, and CE. For each distance, swelling is calculated as the postoperative measurement minus the preoperative measurement and expressed in millimeters. Greater positive changes indicate greater swelling.
Time frame: Baseline before each surgery and postoperative days 3 and 7.
Trismus
Maximum mouth opening is measured as the maximum interincisal distance in millimeters. Trismus is calculated as the preoperative distance minus the postoperative distance. Higher positive values indicate greater limitation of mouth opening.
Time frame: Baseline before each surgery and postoperative days 3 and 7.
Plan to share: Yes — De-identified individual participant data underlying the published results will be available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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