Association between Volatile Sulfur Compounds Prevotella intermedia and Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 Expression.

Objective: To determine the correlation between levels of methyl mercaptan (CH₃SH) hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), the proportion of Prevotella intermedia (Pi), and matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) gene expression levels in periodontitis patients accompanied by halitosis. Material and Methods: Samples were obtained from gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in the deepest pocket and by swabbing in the tongue coating area in patients with periodontitis presenting with halitosis (n = 23) and healthy subjects as controls (n = 7). The values of CH₃SH and H₂S were obtained using Oral Chroma. The proportion of Pi and MMP-8 expression levels were evaluated using PCR-RT. All the result was statistically analyzed using SPSS software. Results: The levels of CH₃SH and H₂S in participants with PD ≥ 6 mm showed a robust negative correlation with the proportion of P. intermedia in GCF and tongue coating. No statistically significant association was detected between CH₃SH and H₂S levels and MMP-8 expression levels (p>0.05). Conclusion: There is no association between CH₃SH and H₂S levels, the proportion of P. intermedia, and MMP-8 expression in patients with periodontitis accompanied by halitosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]