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Background: The purpose of the present investigation is to compare the presence and number of periodontal pathogens in the subgingival microbiota of smokers versus never-smokers with chronic periodontitis and matched probing depths (PDs) using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Methods: Forty current smokers and 40 never-smokers, matched for age, sex, and mean PD of sampling site, were included in this investigation. A full-mouth periodontal examination was performed, and a pooled subgingival plaque sample was collected from the deepest site in each quadrant of each participant. To confirm smoking status, expired carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations were measured with a CO monitor. The presence and quantification of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola were determined using RT-PCR. Results: Smokers had greater overall mean PD (P = 0.001) and attachment loss (P = 0.006) and fewer bleeding on probing sites (P = 0.001). An association was observed between smoking status and the presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans (P<0.001). The counts of A. actinomycetemcomitans (P<0.001), P. gingivalis (P= 0.042), and T. forsythia (P<0.001) were significantly higher in smokers. Conclusions: Smokers showed significantly greater amounts of P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans, and T. forsythia than never-smokers. There was a significant association between smoking and the presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study is to determine in a randomized trial the impact on treatment outcome after 12 months of different subgingival irrigation solutions during scaling and root planing (SRP). Methods: Fifty-one adult volunteers with generalized chronic periodontitis were treated by full-mouth SRP using 0.9% sodium chloride, 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate, or 7.5% povidoneiodine for subgingival irrigation during SRP. Before SRP and after 3 and 12 months, probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded. Sub-gingival plaque samples were analyzed for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola. Results: PD, CAL, and BOP were significantly improved in all groups after 12 months (P<0.001 to P = 0.044). No significant differences were seen among the groups for all sites and sites with 4 to 6 mm PD at baseline. The povidone-iodine group had the highest clinical improvements. The counts of A.actinomycetemcomitans and P.gingivalis were significantly reduced after 12 months (P= 0.045 and P = 0.002) using povidone-iodine. Significant differences between the groups were seen after 3 months for A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis, and after 12 months for T. forsythia. Conclusions: No differences were seen among the groups in the clinical results after 12 months. Regarding the microbiologic results, a slight benefit seemed to derive from the use of povidone- iodine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the results of microbiological RNA-probe analysis after subgingival plaque sampling applying two different strategies. Methods: in 220 patients, clinical examinations were obtained prior to commencement of therapy for aggressive or generalized severe chronic periodontitis (n = 113), after combined mechanical and antibiotic anti-infective periodontal therapy (n = 43), or because of periodontal pockets despite adequate therapy (n = 64). Subgingival plaque samples were obtained from the three pockets with the deepest probing depths. Two sterile paper points were inserted simultaneously into the periodontal pockets. One paper point from each pocket was put into a separate transport vial; the second paper point was pooled (multiple site test [MT3]) with paper points from each of the two other sampling sites from the respective patient into a transport vial. The content of each vial was analyzed separately for Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Tannerella forsythensis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Treponema denticola (Td) with a commercially available RNA-probe test. Results: For all tested pathogens, log-transformed numbers of bacteria were higher in pooled samples compared to the mean values for the separate samples (P≤0.01). However, for Td only, statistically significant differences in frequency were seen between the separate samples and MT3. These findings were observed over all samples as well as after evaluation of subgroups separately. Conclusions: Pooling of plaque samples increased the bacterial counts per analysis compared to separate samples and thus may increase the probability of detecting existing pathogens. However, this observation only was statistically significant for the frequency of Td. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]