- Chlorhexidine digluconate is widely recognized as the most effective antiplaque agent primarily due to its high substantivity.
- Substantivity refers to the ability of a compound to bind to oral tissues and release slowly over time, thereby maintaining its antimicrobial effects for an extended duration after application.
- This property is crucial in oral hygiene because it allows for prolonged inhibition of plaque formation and bacterial growth, which are key factors in preventing gingivitis and periodontal disease.

- In contrast, other agents such as cetylpyridinium chloride, sodium lauryl sulfate, and triclosan, while useful, do not exhibit the same level of substantivity.
- Cetylpyridinium chloride, for example, has some antimicrobial activity but is cleared rapidly from the oral cavity, limiting its effectiveness. Sodium lauryl sulfate is primarily a detergent used in toothpaste for foam and cleaning but has no significant substantivity or lasting antimicrobial action.
- Triclosan has been effective as an antibacterial agent but has less substantivity compared to chlorhexidine and has faced regulatory scrutiny due to safety concerns.

Therefore, the key advantage of chlorhexidine digluconate lies in its ability to adhere to the oral tissues and release active antimicrobial agents gradually, making it the gold standard antiplaque agent in clinical oral hygiene practice.