Chlorhexidine destroys the bacteria, thereby preventing the gingivitis from occurring.
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your dentist or medical doctor will make. Also tell your dentist or medical health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes. However, chlorhexidine has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies. It is not known whether chlorhexidine passes into the breast milk.