CHX MOUTH RINSE IS ALCOHOL-FREE
Sunstar’s GUM Paroex is a chlorhexidine mouth rinse that does not contain alcohol. Available by prescription only, Paroex is used between dental visits as part of a professional program for the treatment of gingivitis. Periodontist Dr. Michele J. Dimaira tells Dental Product Shopper why she prescribes Paroex to almost all of her patients.
Many people don’t realize that alcohol in mouthwash doesn’t have much of a purpose. Alcohol doesn’t give any antimicrobial benefit, 
and there are many harmful side effects—it contributes to xerostomia and can cause mucosal irritation, inflammatory changes, hyperkeratosis, and more. A recent study showed higher incidences of oral cancers in patients who rinse with alcohol mouth rinses consistently.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) is known as the gold standard for periodontal mouth rinses because of its high antimicrobial properties. So, when I heard there was a CHX rinse available without alcohol, I jumped on it right away. I have been prescribing Sunstar’s GUM Paroex ever since.
If I’m going to recommend a mouth rinse to a patient, it’s going to be Paroex. Every single patient who sees us for initial therapy will use Paroex before, during, and after therapy. I also prescribe Paroex for every surgery. It’s especially helpful for post-surgical patients who can’t brush or floss for a few weeks. Patients rinse with Paroex in my office before a surgical or scaling and root planing procedure.
We see dramatic improvement in patients who rinse with Paroex. Generally, when we treat the full mouth we see a reduction in bleeding on probing and reduction in suppuration, and sometimes it is a night-and-day difference. But we also see improvement in patients who have a trouble spot such as an implant with peri-implantitis or other specific isolated area causing problems. We’ll have a patient swab that area with Paroex, and, in those cases, we see a huge difference. Paroex is also very beneficial for patients who have problems with manual dexterity who can’t do a good job brushing or flossing.
Periodontal patients who rinse with Paroex can get the same antimicrobial benefits of a chlorhexidine rinse without the disadvantages of alcohol.
About Michele J. Dimaira, DMD, MS
A periodontist in Montville, NJ, Dr. Dimaira graduated from dental school at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) and has practiced periodontics and implant dentistry in New Jersey since 1995. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor in Periodontics in the Post-Graduate Periodontal Program at UMDNJ and frequently lectures on topics including periodontal disease, systemic ramifications of periodontal disease, implant surgery, implant temporization, and treatment planning.
