In Vitro Oral Biofilm Formation on Triclosan-Coated Sutures in the Absence and Presence of Additional Antiplaque Treatment

PurposeThis study evaluated the in vitro plaque inhibitory effect of triclosan-coated polyglactin 910 sutures in the absence and presence of an additional antiplaque agent commonly used after oral surgery.Materials and MethodsTriclosan-coated sutures were incubated for 4 hours in freshly collected human saliva and, when appropriate, subsequently treated with an antiplaque rinse containing chlorhexidine-cetyl pyridinium as active components. Sutures without a triclosan-coating served as a control.ResultsTriclosan-coated sutures harbored similar amounts of plaque as did uncoated sutures. Exposure to the antiplaque rinse caused significant decreases in viable organisms for uncoated and triclosan-coated sutures. However, after application of the antiplaque rinse, more micro-organisms were found on triclosan-coated than on uncoated sutures.ConclusionSutures coated with triclosan do not provide a sufficient antimicrobial effect to prevent in vitro colonization by oral bacteria, whereas use in combination with a chlorhexidine-cetyl pyridinium–containing antiplaque rinse appears to be counterproductive.