text: before the present composition , methods , and methodologies are described , it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particular compositions , methods , and experimental conditions described , as such compositions , methods , and conditions may vary . it is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for purposes of describing particular embodiments only , and is not intended to be limiting , since the scope of the present invention will be limited only in the appended claims . as used in this specification and the appended claims , the singular forms “ a ”, “ an ”, and “ the ” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . thus , for example , references to “ an aromatic substance ” includes one or more aromatic substances , and / or compositions of the type described herein which will become apparent to those persons skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and so forth . unless defined otherwise , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the invention , as it will be understood that modifications and variations are encompassed within the spirit and scope of the instant disclosure . as used herein , “ about ,” “ approximately ,” “ substantially ” and “ significantly ” will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art and will vary in some extent depending on the context in which they are used . if there are uses of the term which are not clear to persons of ordinary skill in the an given the context in which it is used , “ about ” and “ approximately ” will mean plus or minus & lt ; 10 % of particular term and “ substantially ” and “ significantly ” will mean plus or minus & gt ; 10 % of the particular term . as stated above , in one embodiment of the oral delivery system , the system is in the form of a chewing gum . chewing gum is generally composed of the following groups of raw materials : gum base or gum mass , plasticizers , filler materials , lubricants , fats , emulsifiers , aromas , dyes , antioxidants , and edible acids for flavoring . as gum mass , either natural materials such as chicle , gutta - percha , latex , benzoin resins or gum arabic or consistency - providing , synthetic thermoplastics , such as polyvinyl acetate in amounts of up to about 65 % of the gum mass , polybutadiene styrene , polyisobutylene , isoprene , polyvinyl ether , and polyethylene can be used . typical plasticizers are emulsifiers , resins , waxes or glucitol . typical filler materials are magnesium stearates , chalk , calcium carbonate , silicate or celluloses . the filler materials and technical auxiliary substances maintain flowability and prevent clumping of the particles at low pressure . mineral oils , microcrystalline waxes or herbal oils are typically used as lubricants , fats or emulsifiers . these auxiliary substances prevent clumping of the formulations and undesired adhesion to instruments in the oral cavity . traditional chewing gums can be highly cariogenic because of their high sugar content , but they also massage the gingiva and the salivary glands in case of dry mouth . chewing gums are also refreshing , vitalizing and / or thirst - quenching owing to the added flavorings . to avoid the above - mentioned cariogenic effect of sugar in chewing gums , sugar - free chewing gums have been on the market for a long time . instead of sugar , they contain sugar substitutes , which are mainly sorbitol and xylitol . the chewing gum according to the invention is intended to support teeth and mouth hygiene and for the treatment / prevention of infectious pathological changes . it is particularly suited for “ on - the - go ”, when there is no opportunity to brush the teeth . the chewing gum according to the invention is usually sugar - free and , similarly to tooth paste , contains traces of minerals for the regeneration of the teeth . the chewing gum according to the invention may also comprise at least one abrasive , in particular calcium carbonate , calcium phosphates , metaphosphates , silicic acid , aluminum oxides , silicates , talcum and / or combinations thereof . further , the chewing gum according to the invention may comprise at least one suspending agent or a humectant , in particular water , glycerin , propylene glycol and / or sorbitol syrup , and at least one thickening agent , stabilizer , binder and / or combinations thereof , in particular gels , starches , alginates , oils and / or cellulose gum . for improving the taste properties , at least one aromatic substance , at least one sweetener and / or at least one sugar substitute , in particular menthol , peppermint oil , sodium saccharin , aspartame , acesulfame , sorbitol , maltitol , xylitol , fructose , and / or combinations thereof , may be added to the chewing gum . moreover , the chewing gum according to the invention may comprise further chemical additives , dyes and / or ph regulators , in particular fluorides , astringents , inflammation inhibitors , desensitizers , vitamins , panthenol , white pigments , sodium hydroxide , and / or combinations thereof . by way of the oral delivery system according to the invention in the form of a chewing gum , the polyhexanide may reach the site of action , in particular the gingival pockets , in a particularly effective manner . the chewing process presses the chewing gum into the gingival pocket , where the polyhexanide is then released . in another embodiment of the delivery system according to the invention , the latter is in the form of a chip or film , comprising a biodegradable or bioerodible pharmaceutically acceptable polymer . the chip or film according to the invention is suitable for being implanted into a periodontal pocket and is capable of treating infectious pathological changes in which a delayed release of polyhexanide is desired . the pocket may be a natural pocket , it may be related to a state of disease or it may be intentionally opened as part of the treatment . after implantation , the chip or film softens , swells up and changes into a soft paste , which adheres to the inside of the pocket . preferably , the chip or film may comprise at least one cross - linking agent , which is present in an amount sufficient to make the polymer water - insoluble while permitting the release of the polyhexanide from the delivery system . the film or chip according to the invention preferably comprises a surfactant which is preferably selected from anionic , cationic , non - ionic surfactants and / or combinations thereof . the non - ionic surfactants can be selected from polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters ( polysorbate ) and sorbitan fatty acid esters . the chip or film according to the invention is preferably adapted to be administered into a periodontal pocket with in - vivo releasing properties which are aimed at reducing the depth of a periodontal pocket of a patient . advantageously , the chip or film according to the invention is in such a form that it is biodegraded within the periodontal pocket , wherein it becomes soft and adheres to the periodontal pocket and wherein , once inserted in a periodontal pocket , it gradually releases the polyhexanide over a period of at least about 24 hours , during which the chip or film converts into a soft material . the chip thus serves as a medium of delivery of polyhexanide as antimicrobial agent for application into the sulcus or gingival pocket . the size of a chip / film according to the invention is generally about 3 × 3 to about 10 × 10 mm . in general , the base of the chip / film is a gelatin cross - linked with glutaraldehyde . cross - linked gelatin has proved particularly suitable for the delayed release of polyhexanide . advantageously , the polymer is selected from water - soluble protein , cellulose or a cellulose derivative , starch or a starch derivative , glyceryl monostearate , carbomer , pvp ( polyvinyl pyrrolidone ), gum , acacia gum , guar gum , polyvinyl alcohol , polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate , polyhydroxymethyl methacrylate acrylic acid , polyacrylamide , polyethylenegly - colene , polyacetic acid , polyglycolic acid , copolymers of polyacetic acid and polyglycolic acid , polyanhydrides and polyorthoesters . the water - soluble protein is preferably selected from the group consisting of gelatin , collagen , albumin , an enzyme and fibrinogen . in another embodiment of the system according to the invention , the latter is in the form of a gel or salve . in this form , it is usually introduced into the gingival pockets , where it releases polyhexanide to the surroundings . the gel or salve according to the invention is for intraoral application , in particular for application into the sulcus or into a gingival pocket . the polyhexanide here again serves as an antimicrobial agent . the gel / salve according to the invention may be based on a conventional ethanol / glycerol / macrogol compound . the gel according to the invention or the salve according to the invention may be both a ready - to - use preparation and a mixing system . in case of a mixing system , certain components are mixed only shortly prior to the application and brought to the diseased site . this has the advantage , among others , that a mixing system is easy to process after mixing . for instance , in one embodiment , a viscous mass may at first be present after mixing which hardens only after it has been introduced into the mouth . this significantly simplifies the application . the mixing system may be in the form of a mixing capsule , for example . as compared to the known antibacterial agents , such as chlorhexidine , the oral delivery system according to the invention has decisive advantages . for instance , the polyhexanide used in the oral delivery system according to the invention is not cytotoxic . additionally , no side effects , such as discoloration of the teeth , tongue , mucous membranes or of dental prostheses can be observed . the used polyhexanide is tasteless and does not compromise the sense of taste . further , it does not disturb wound healing and reduces fibrin formation . furthermore , it is not known to be absorbed by the mucous membranes or via the gastro - intestinal tract . further , no toxic metabolites form during use . another significant advantage lies in the fact that the effective concentration of polyhexanide is many times lower than that of chlorhexidine . further , polyhexanide has no allergenic potential and no irritant effect . as far as is known , polyhexanide is not sensitizing . the shelf life of polyhexanide is also longer than in conventional agents . moreover , no development of resistance has been observed . polyhexanide has a broad effective spectrum and shows very little protein and blood interference ( effect is hardly influenced by proteins or blood ). although the invention has been described with reference to the above disclosures , it will be understood that modifications and variations are encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , the invention is limited only by the following claims . all references recited in this disclosure are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties .