On this page

Periogard Alcohol Free

Chlorhexidine Gluconate · Rinse

Prescription ANDA TE AT Official labelling
Informational index, not medical advice. Content is reproduced from public FDA and NLM data. Always confirm against the manufacturer's current prescribing information. Report adverse events to FDA MedWatch.

Overview

Brand name
Periogard Alcohol Free
Generic name
Chlorhexidine Gluconate
Dosage form
Rinse
Route
Buccal
Marketing category
ANDA · ANDA
Labeler
Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Product type
Human Prescription Drug
DEA schedule
Not scheduled
Active ingredients
1
NDC product codes
3
Packages
5
Data completeness
76% of corroborating sources present

Active ingredients

Source: NDC Directory
Active ingredients and strengths as listed in the NDC Directory.
Ingredient Strength RxCUI Monograph
Chlorhexidine Gluconate 1.2 mg/mL 1667684 View

Forms, strengths and routes

Source: NDC Directory
Dosage form
Rinse
Route of administration
Buccal
Presentations
8

Pharmacologic classes are listed in the class section below.

Pharmacologic class

Source: NDC Directory
Established pharmacologic classes (EPC), mechanisms of action (MoA), chemical structures (CS) and physiologic effects (PE).
Class Type Browse
Decreased Cell Wall Integrity [PE] PE All 26 members

Regulatory status

Source: Drugs@FDANDC Directory
Application number
203212
Application type
ANDA · Abbreviated New Drug Application
Approval date
January 28, 2016
Sponsor
COLGATE-PALMOLIVE CO
Products on application
1
Submissions recorded
2
Products approved under application 203212.
Product Trade name Form Strength Ingredient Status TE Flags
203212-001 PERIOGARD SOLUTION CHLORHEXIDINE GLUCONATE Prescription AT

Therapeutic equivalence

Source: Orange Book
TE code
AT
Reference Listed Drug
No
Reference Standard
No

What this rating means: Therapeutically equivalent — bioequivalence demonstrated (topical dermatological products)

Codes beginning with “A” indicate products the FDA considers therapeutically equivalent. Codes beginning with “B” indicate bioequivalence has not been established. See methodology.

Approval history

Source: Drugs@FDA
Most recent submissions on application 203212.
Type No. Action Status Date Review
Supplement 1 Manufacturing (CMC) Approved October 12, 2018 Unknown
Original application 1 Approved January 28, 2016 —

Prescribing information

Source: openFDA Drug Labeling

Reproduced verbatim from the Structured Product Labeling submitted to the FDA (effective 20260213). This is the manufacturer's labelling text, not a summary and not advice.

HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG · 20260213

Indications and Usage

openFDA Drug Labeling

INDICATIONS AND USAGE PerioGard® (Chlorhexidine Gluconate Oral Rinse USP, 0.12%) is indicated for use between dental visits as part of a professional program for the treatment of gingivitis as characterized by redness and swelling of the gingivae, including gingival bleeding upon probing. PerioGard® has not been tested among patients with acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG). For patients having coexisting gingivitis and periodontitis, see PRECAUTIONS .

Dosage and Administration

openFDA Drug Labeling

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION PerioGard® (Chlorhexidine Gluconate Oral Rinse USP, 0.12%) therapy should be initiated directly following a dental prophylaxis. Patients using PerioGard® should be reevaluated and given a thorough prophylaxis at intervals no longer than six months. Recommended use is twice daily oral rinsing for 30 seconds, morning and evening after toothbrushing. Usual dosage is 1/2 fl. oz. ("15 mL" line in dosage cap) of undiluted PerioGard®. Patients should be instructed not to rinse with water or other mouthwashes, brush teeth, or eat immediately after using PerioGard®. PerioGard® is not intended for ingestion and should be expectorated after rinsing.

Contraindications

openFDA Drug Labeling

CONTRAINDICATIONS PerioGard® should not be used by persons who are known to be hypersensitive to chlorhexidine gluconate or other formula ingredients.

WARNINGS The effect of PerioGard® on periodontitis has not been determined. An increase in supragingival calculus was noted in clinical testing with users of chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse USP, 0.12% compared with control users. It is not known if chlorhexidine gluconate use results in an increase of subgingival calculus. Calculus deposits should be removed by a dental prophylaxis at intervals not greater than six months. Anaphylaxis, as well as serious allergic reactions, have been reported during postmarketing use with dental products containing chlorhexidine. SEE CONTRAINDICATIONS .

Adverse Reactions

openFDA Drug Labeling

ADVERSE REACTIONS The most common side effects associated with chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse USP, 0.12% are: (1) an increase in staining of teeth and other oral surfaces, (2) an increase in calculus formation, and (3) an alteration in taste perception; see WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS . Oral irritation and local allergy-type symptoms have been spontaneously reported as side effects associated with use of chlorhexidine gluconate rinse. The following oral mucosal side effects were reported during placebo-controlled adult clinical trials: aphthous ulcer, grossly obvious gingivitis, trauma, ulceration, erythema, desquamation, coated tongue, keratinization, geographic tongue, mucocele, and short frenum. Each occurred at a frequency of less than 1.0%. Among postmarketing reports, the most frequently reported oral mucosal symptoms associated with chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse USP, 0.12% are stomatitis, gingivitis, glossitis, ulcer, dry mouth, hypesthesia, glossal edema, and paresthesia. Minor irritation and superficial desquamation of the oral mucosa have been noted in patients using chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse. There have been cases of parotid gland swelling and inflammation of the salivary glands (sialadenitis) reported in patients using chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse.

Description

openFDA Drug Labeling

DESCRIPTION PerioGard® (Chlorhexidine Gluconate Oral rinse USP, 0.12%) is an oral rinse containing 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate (1,1'-hexamethylene bis [5-(p-chlorophenyl) biguanide] di-D-gluconate) in a base containing water, propylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol, polyoxyl 40 hydrogenated castor oil, flavor, cetylpyridinium chloride, and FD&C blue no. 1. PerioGard® product is a near neutral solution (pH range 5-7). Chlorhexidine gluconate is a salt of chlorhexidine and gluconic acid. Its chemical structure is: Chemical Structure

OVERDOSAGE Ingestion of 1 or 2 ounces of PerioGard® (Chlorhexidine Gluconate Oral Rinse USP, 0.12%) by a small child (~10 kg body weight) might result in gastric distress, including nausea. Medical attention should be sought if more than 4 ounces of PerioGard® Oral Rinse is ingested by a small child.

How Supplied / Storage and Handling

openFDA Drug Labeling

HOW SUPPLIED PerioGard® is supplied as a blue liquid in 3 different UD presentations 5 ML UD CUP............................... NDC 17856-0272-03 10 ML UD CUP............................. NDC 17856-0272-01 15 ML UD CUP............................. NDC 17856-0272-02 Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) excursions permitted between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Rx Only. Keep out of reach of children.

Adverse event reports

Source: openFDA FAERS
9,457
FAERS reports mentioning this drug
as of 2026-09-25T03:42:24+00:00
A report count is not a risk measure. FAERS accepts voluntary and mandatory reports without establishing causation, and reporting is influenced by how widely a drug is used, how long it has been marketed, and media attention. FDA states that reports “do not prove that the drug caused the event”. Compare rates, not totals.

Attributed to this product's most-reported active ingredient: CHLORHEXIDINE GLUCONATE. Combination products with more than six active ingredients are not attributed, because a report count summed across a long ingredient list measures the list, not the medicine.

Packaging and NDCs

Source: NDC Directory
Every National Drug Code package associated with this medication. The NDC is the identifier used for dispensing, billing and pharmacovigilance in the United States.
Package NDC Product NDC Labeler Description Marketing start
17856-0272-1 17856-0272 ATLANTIC BIOLOGICALS CORP. 72 CUP, UNIT-DOSE in 1 BOX, UNIT-DOSE (17856-0272-1) / 10 mL in 1 CUP, UNIT-DOSE (17856-0272-5) May 7, 2024
17856-0272-2 17856-0272 ATLANTIC BIOLOGICALS CORP. 72 CUP, UNIT-DOSE in 1 BOX, UNIT-DOSE (17856-0272-2) / 15 mL in 1 CUP, UNIT-DOSE (17856-0272-4) May 7, 2024
17856-0272-3 17856-0272 ATLANTIC BIOLOGICALS CORP. 72 CUP, UNIT-DOSE in 1 BOX, UNIT-DOSE (17856-0272-3) / 5 mL in 1 CUP, UNIT-DOSE (17856-0272-6) May 7, 2024
0126-0272-16 0126-0272 Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 473 mL in 1 BOTTLE, PLASTIC (0126-0272-16) November 18, 2020
0126-0282-16 0126-0282 Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 473 mL in 1 BOTTLE, PLASTIC (0126-0282-16) October 4, 2021
17856-0272 17856-0272 ATLANTIC BIOLOGICALS CORP. — November 18, 2020
0126-0272 0126-0272 Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — November 18, 2020
0126-0282 0126-0282 Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — October 4, 2021

Sources for this page

Every dataset that contributed a fact to this page.
Dataset Agency Used for
NDC Directory FDA Identity, ingredients, strengths, forms, routes, labelers, packages
Drugs@FDA FDA Application, sponsor, submissions, review documents, marketing status
Orange Book FDA Therapeutic equivalence codes, reference drug flags, patents, exclusivity
Drug Labeling FDA / NLM Prescribing information reproduced above
FAERS FDA Adverse event report counts

Generated September 25, 2026 · 11 sections on this page.