Chlorhexidine is often used pre-operatively for what purpose?

Chlorhexidine is commonly used pre-operatively primarily for its antiseptic properties. It helps to reduce the microbial load in the oral cavity, thereby minimizing the risk of postoperative infection. By effectively killing or inhibiting the growth of bacteria, chlorhexidine creates a cleaner environment for surgical procedures, which is essential for preventing complications such as surgical site infections.

Its role as an antimicrobial agent makes it an integral part of infection control protocols in dental practice. While it is important for therapeutic purposes like healing and pain management, those roles are secondary to its primary function as an infection prevention measure. Thus, using chlorhexidine pre-operatively is a proactive approach to ensure that any invasive procedure has a lower risk of introducing pathogens that could lead to infection.