Commonly used topical oral wound dressing materials in dental and surgical practice – a literature review

Abstract

A small number of medicaments are used in oral and maxillofacial surgery to dress wounds, relieve pain, prevent infection and promote healing. While these materials are routinely used, their constituents, uses and effects on oral tissues are rarely discussed. This literature review provides an overview of the constituents, uses and effects of the common materials –oxidised regenerated cellulose, Whitehead’s varnish, Carnoy’s solution, bismuth iodoform paraffin paste (BIPP), zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE) and Alvogyl.

Michael Freedman
BA BDentSc DChDent FFD RCSI
Oral Surgeon

Leo FA Stassen
FRCS(Ed) FDS RCS MA FTCD FFSEM(UK) FFD RCSI
Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Corresponding author: Prof. Leo FA Stassen
Dept of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dublin Dental University Hospital, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2.
E: leo.stassen@dental.tcd.ie