The effect of local irrigation of the gingival sulcus, which is considered an important source of bacteremia following dental procedures, with three different antiseptic solutions including hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine and povidone iodine, on the frequency of bacteremia after tooth extraction was determined, and the efficacies of the three antiseptics were compared. Although all the antiseptic solutions reduced the frequency of bacteremia to various degrees, povidone iodine was the most effective, and seemed to be the best choice since the decrease was statistically significant. Local administration of antiseptic solutions is therefore recommended as an adjuvant to systemic antibiotic prophylaxis.