摘要：Why the need for antimicrobials in dental care? Mechanical control of dental plaque is not sufficient for all individuals, since diseases like caries and gingivitis which should be preventable by good mechanical oral hygiene measures are nevertheless all too prevalent in our society. If we accept that dental plaque microbes give rise to halitosis, caries, gingivitis and periodontal disease, it seems obvious to try antimicrobial agents in an attempt to combat them. However, it is difficult to decide whether complete chemoprevention of plaque is possible or desirable. Once released on the market to the general public, a preparation containing an antiplaque agent will be used not just periodically but lifelong by some members of the public. For this reason the compound must be extremely safe and must not give rise to any undesirable long-term effects. On balance, antiplaque agents used as an adjunct to mechanical toothbrushing are perhaps acceptable, since an increase in the efficiency of plaque control can be demonstrated with some types of agent.
