Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the amount of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) and Prevotella intermedia (P. intermedia) on subgingival recolonized plaque after mechanical debridement and photodynamic treatment by using blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in combination with topical Curcuma longa gel extract. METHODS: A total of 12 subjects with stage III grade B periodontitis were recruited for the study. Maxillary posterior teeth with periodontal pocket >4 mm were selected. These teeth were examined for periodontal clinical data at baseline and at 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks after treatment. All remaining teeth were treated by scaling and root planing (SRP). Then, the teeth were bilaterally divided using randomized split-mouth design with and without photodynamic adjunctive therapy (PDT). Samples of the subgingival microbiota were obtained in each visit. All samples were analyzed by multicolor TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of target bacteria. RESULTS: Throughout the six-week follow-up, long-term improvement of probing depth and bleeding on probing was revealed on the PDT group. The number of subgingival F. nucleatum and P. intermedia also significantly reduced, compared to the baseline. There was a statistically significant recolonization in F. nucleatum and P. intermedia number after 2 and 4 weeks of conventional SRP, respectively. Our quantitative PCR method showed no significant recolonization of those subgingival bacteria on PDT sites throughout the 6-week study duration. CONCLUSION: The results showed that adjunctive photodynamic treatment by using blue LEDs in combination with topical Curcuma longa gel extract was effective to alter the recolonization patterns of F. nucleatum and P. intermedia after conventional debridement.