Microbiological and clinical effects of probiotics and antibiotics on nonsurgical treatment of chronic periodontitis: a randomized placebo- controlled trial with 9-month follow-up

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this double-blind, placebo-controlled and parallel- arm randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1-containing probiotic sachet and azithromycin tablets as an adjunct to nonsurgical therapy in clinical parameters and in presence and levels of Tannerella forsythia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Material and Methods: Forty-seven systemically healthy volunteers with chronic periodontitis were recruited and monitored clinically and microbiologically at baseline for 3, 6 and 9 months after therapy. Subgingival plaque samples were collected from four periodontal sites with clinical attachment level ≥1 mm, probing pocket depth ≥4 mm and bleeding on probing, one site in each quadrant. Samples were cultivated and processed using the PCR technique. Patients received nonsurgical therapy including scaling and root planing (SRP) and were randomly assigned to a probiotic (n=16), antibiotic (n = 16) or placebo (n = 15) group. L. rhamnosus SP1 was taken once a day for 3 months. Azithromycin 500mg was taken once a day for 5 days. Results: All groups showed improvements in clinical and microbiological parameters at all time points evaluated. Probiotic and antibiotic groups showed greater reductions in cultivable microbiota compared with baseline. The placebo group showed greater reduction in number of subjects with P. gingivalis compared with baseline. However, there were no significant differences between groups. Conclusions: The adjunctive use of L. rhamnosus SP1 sachets and azithromycin during initial therapy resulted in similar clinical and microbiological improvements compared with the placebo group.

Efecto clínico del uso de probiótico en el tratamiento de la periodontitis crónica: ensayo clínico / Clinical effect of probiotic in treatment of chronic periodontitis: clinical trial

Objetivo El objetivo de este ensayo clínico aleatorizado, doble ciego, de brazos paralelos y controlado por placebo fue evaluar el efecto clínico del consumo de Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1 en un polvo de disolución oral, adicional a la terapia periodontal no quirúrgica. Material y método Cuarenta y nueve sujetos fueron examinados para participar en este estudio. Veintiocho participantes sistémicamente sanos, con diagnóstico de periodontitis crónica, fueron reclutados y monitorizados clínicamente en el tiempo basal, 3 y 6 meses después de la terapia periodontal. Los parámetros clínicos registrados fueron presencia de placa, sangrado al sondaje, profundidad al sondaje y pérdida de inserción clínica. Todos recibieron terapia periodontal no quirúrgica, incluyendo pulido y alisado radicular (PAR), y fueron asignados aleatoriamente al grupo experimental (PAR + probiótico, n = 14) o control (PAR + placebo, n = 14). Luego de la última sesión de PAR debieron ingerir un sobre con polvo de disolución oral de Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1 o placebo, una vez al día durante 3 meses. Resultados Ambos grupos mejoraron sus parámetros clínicos en todos los tiempos evaluados. Además, el grupo experimental redujo significativamente el porcentaje de sitios, dientes y número de participantes con profundidad al sondaje ≥ 5 mm entre el tiempo basal y los 6 meses postratamiento. Conclusiones La administración oral de L. rhamnosus SP1 asociado a la terapia periodontal genera similares mejorías en los parámetros clínicos comparado con solo usar terapia periodontal en el tratamiento de la periodontitis crónica en adultos.

Objective The aim of this double- blind, placebo- controlled parallel- arm, randomised clinical trial was to evaluate the clinical effects of a sachet of Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1-containing probiotic as an adjunct to non-surgical therapy. Material and method Fourty- nine subjects were screened for their elegibility to participate in this study. Twenty-eight systemically healthy volunteers with chronic periodontitis were enrolled and monitored clinically at baseline, and at 3 and 6 months after therapy. Clinical parameters measured included plaque index, bleeding on probing, pocket probing depths (PPD), and clinical attachment loss. Patients received non-surgical therapy including scaling and root planing (SRP), and were randomly assigned to a test (SRP + probiotic, n = 14) or control (SRP + placebo, n = 14) group. The administration of a sachet of Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1 probiotic once a day for 3 months commenced after the last session of SRP. Results Both test and control groups showed improvements in clinical parameters at all time points evaluated. Furthermore, at initial visits and after 6 months follow-up, the test group showed a statistically significant reduction in percentage of sites, teeth, and number of participants with PPD ≥ 5 mm. Conclusions The results of this trial indicate that oral administration of L. rhamnosus SP1 sachets during initial therapy resulted in similar clinical improvements compared to SRP alone.

Host response mechanisms in periodontal diseases

Periodontal diseases usually refer to common inflammatory disorders known as gingivitis and periodontitis, which are caused by a pathogenic microbiota in the subgingival biofilm, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Tannerella forsythia and Treponema denticola that trigger innate, inflammatory, and adaptive immune responses. These processes result in the destruction of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth, and eventually in tissue, bone and finally, tooth loss. The innate immune response constitutes a homeostatic system, which is the first line of defense, and is able to recognize invading microorganisms as non-self, triggering immune responses to eliminate them. In addition to the innate immunity, adaptive immunity cells and characteristic cytokines have been described as important players in the periodontal disease pathogenesis scenario, with a special attention to CD4+ T-cells (T-helper cells). Interestingly, the T cell-mediated adaptive immunity development is highly dependent on innate immunity-associated antigen presenting cells, which after antigen capture undergo into a maturation process and migrate towards the lymph nodes, where they produce distinct patterns of cytokines that will contribute to the subsequent polarization and activation of specific T CD4+ lymphocytes. Skeletal homeostasis depends on a dynamic balance between the activities of the bone-forming osteoblasts (OBLs) and bone-resorbing osteoclasts (OCLs). This balance is tightly controlled by various regulatory systems, such as the endocrine system, and is influenced by the immune system, an osteoimmunological regulation depending on lymphocyte- and macrophage-derived cytokines. All these cytokines and inflammatory mediators are capable of acting alone or in concert, to stimulate periodontal breakdown and collagen destruction via tissue-derived matrix metalloproteinases, a characterization of the progression of periodontitis as a stage that presents a significantly host immune and inflammatory response to the microbial challenge that determine of susceptibility to develop the destructive/progressive periodontitis under the influence of multiple behavioral, environmental and genetic factors.