Comparison of the effect of postoperative care agents on human gingival fibroblasts: a preliminary study

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to compare effects of postoperative care agents; chlorhexidine, octenidine dihydrochloride and hyaluronic acid on human gingival fibroblasts’ viability, proliferation, apoptosis and migration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After cell culturing; chlorhexidine, octenidine dihydrochloride and hyaluronic acid solutions were applied on cells and nothing was applied for control group. The cells were monitored to investigate cytotoxicity; the percentage of apoptotic, living and dead cells at the time of 24, 48, and 72 hours (h). A scratch wound assay was performed to detect cell migration and cells were monitored at baseline, at 24 and 48h. RESULTS: At 24h, chlorhexidine showed statistically lower percentage of total apoptotic cells’ than octenidine dihydrochloride (p=0.049), hyaluronic acid (p=0.049) and control (p=0.049). At 48h, hyaluronic acid showed statistically lower percentage than chlorhexidine (p=0.049), and control (p=0.049). All agents were found to have statistically and significantly more cytotoxic than control. However, there was no difference between experimental groups for proliferation rate. Octenidine dihydrochloride showed statistically negative effects on cell migration than chlorhexidine and hyaluronic acid at 24h. Chlorhexidine and hyaluronic acid maintained migration ability of cells than octenidine dihydrochloride at 48h. CONCLUSION: All agents have similar effects on cell behavior such as viability, apoptosis and cell proliferation. However, octenidine dihydrochloride showed statistically negative effects on migration ability than chlorhexidine and hyaluronic acid.