Profile of subgingival microbiota in children with primary dentition.

Eruption of primary teeth has a great influence on the oral environment by providing suitable niches for bacterial colonization. The aim of the study was to investigate the composition of the subgingival microbiota of primary incisors, canines and molars in 40 systemically healthy children aged 4-5 yr, chosen randomly. Subgingival plaque samples were taken from the mesiobuccal sites of primary incisors (61, 81), canines (53, 73) and molars (64, 84). The samples were cultured for bacterial isolation anaerobically and in 10% CO2 plus air using selective and non-selective media. Forty-one different microbial species were isolated. Gemella morbillorum and Peptostreptococcus magnus were statistically significantly more frequently detected in incisors while P. micros, Streptococcus intermedius, Bacteroides forsythus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella loeschei, P. melaninogenica and Selenomonas sputigena were more frequently detected in molars. The bacterial species S. constellatus, G. morbillorum and P. magnus were isolated in greater numbers in incisors and P. micros, S. intermedius, Campylobacter concisus, Bacteroides egertheii, B. forsythus, P. oralis and S. sputigena were isolated in greater numbers in molars, respectively. Cluster analysis revealed 4 clusters in which 6-7 bacterial species were elevated above mean levels. Cluster I was predominated by S. constellatus, S. mitis, S. sanguis, G. morbillorum, P. melaninogenica and P. oralis; cluster II was predominated by S. sanguis, Actinomyces naeslundii, Capnocytophaga gingivalis, C. ochracea and P. intermedia; cluster III was predominated by S. mitis, C. ochracea, F. nucleatum, P. loeschei, P. melaninogenica and P. oralis; and finally cluster IV was predominated by S. sanguis, C. gingivalis, Veillonella parvula, Campylobacter gracilis, F. nucleatum and P. intermedia. The bacterial species S. constellatus, P. micros, Pseudoramibacter alactolyticus, Eikenella corrodens and F. nucleatum were associated with non-bleeding sites while S. intermedius, C. concisus, P. intermedia and P. loescheii were found more frequently in bleeding sites.

Profile of subgingival microbiota in children with mixed dentition.

A diversity of microbial species has been detected in children's oral flora at an early age. To investigate the composition of the subgingival microbiota of different groups of teeth in children with mixed dentition, 40 systemically healthy children, aged 7-8 years, randomly chosen, were examined. Subgingival plaque samples were taken from the mesiobuccal sites of 21, 41, 16 and 36 permanent teeth and 53, 73, 64 and 84 deciduous teeth. The samples were cultured for bacterial isolation anaerobically and in 10% CO2 plus air using selective and nonselective media. Forty-five different microbial species were isolated from both permanent and deciduous teeth. Streptococcus sanguis (79-70%), Streptococcus mitis (66-65%), Prevotella melaninogenica (51-57%), Eikenella corrodens (51-52%), Capnocytophaga gingivalis (46-34%), Capnocytophaga ochracea (45-45%), Actinomyces naeslundii (39-60%) and Prevotella intermedia (42-35%) were among the most frequently detected species in permanent and deciduous teeth respectively. Several suspected periodontal pathogens, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella loescheii, Campylobacter gracilis, Bacteroides forsythus, Campylobacter concisus, Peptostreptococcus micros and Selenomonas sputigena, albeit less frequently detected, were present in the microbiota of these children. The bacterial species Streptococcus constellatus, Peptostreptococcus micros, Pseudoramibacter alactolyticus, E. corrodens and Fusobacterium nucleatum were associated with non-bleeding permanent and deciduous teeth whereas Streptococcus intermedius, C. concisus, P. intermedia and P. loescheii were associated with bleeding.

The clinical and microbiological effects of systemic ornidazole in sites with and without subgingival debridement in early-onset periodontitis patients.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological effects of systemic ornidazole (ORN) in sites with or without subgingival debridement in early-onset periodontitis (EOP) patients. METHODS: Two pooled bacterial samples consisting of 4 sites each (scaled and non-scaled sites) were obtained from 30 individuals exhibiting EOP. All patients received oral hygiene instruction (OHI), supragingival scaling and ORN. Subgingival scaling and root planing (SRP) was carried out only in scaled sites. Bacterial samples were taken at baseline (BL) and 1 week and 2, 6, and 12 months after systemic ornidazole administration (500 mg/bid for 7 days). One more sample was taken at scaled sites, one week after SRP. RESULTS: One week following SRP (scaled sites) Gram-negative facultative and anaerobic rods were significantly reduced while Gram-positive facultative cocci were significantly increased. After ORN administration, P. gingivalis, P. denticola, P. intermedia, B. forsythus, C. rectus, and S. sputigena were no longer detectable in either scaled or non-scaled sites. A statistically significant long-term (2, 6, and 12 months) reduction of P. gingivalis, P. intermedia, P. loescheii, B. forsythus, and C. rectus and a pronounced increase of S. milleri, S. oralis, and S. sanguis counts in both scaled and non-scaled sites were detected in comparison to baseline. A sustained reduction of bleeding tendency and of probing depth was also observed in both scaled and non-scaled sites. CONCLUSIONS: ORN combined with SRP effects beneficial shifts in the bacterial population associated with substantial clinical improvement, thereby indicating that ORN is effective adjunct in the treatment of EOP deep periodontal pockets where anaerobic bacteria are predominant.

Alveolar bone loss on neolithic man remains on 38 skulls of Khirokitia's (Cyprus) inhabitants.

38 skulls, belonging to inhabitants of various age groups of the Neolithic settlement of Khirokitia in Cyprus (5800-3000 BC) were studied and the alveolar bone loss was evaluated in areas where teeth still existed. It was found that the alveolar bone loss increased with age. The differences deriving from the comparison of skulls belonging to older people (the mean life-span of the inhabitants was 35.2 years), with skulls belonging to younger people suggest that our findings are not due to postmortem weathering of bones through the centuries but represent a real fact. The results of this study indicate that periodontal disease has accompanied human beings since prehistoric time without being affected by civilization.

Clinical evaluation of the effect of tetracycline root preparation on guided tissue regeneration in the treatment of Class II furcation defects.

The purpose of this clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of tetracycline root preparation on guided tissue regeneration in the treatment of Class II furcation defects. Nine pairs of defects with horizontal clinical attachment level value > or = 5 mm comprised the study group. Measurements were made to determine presence of plaque, gingival condition, probing depth, and vertical and horizontal clinical attachment level. Defects from each pair were randomly assigned for treatment with an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane (e-PTFE) and tetracycline root conditioning (100 mg/ml) or the membrane alone. The membranes were removed 4 to 6 weeks postsurgery. Patients were then seen monthly for the duration of the study. Six months postsurgery, all clinical measurements were repeated. Following either treatment, improvement was observed in all clinical parameters, particularly in horizontal clinical attachment level. However, there was not a statistically significant difference in the improvement observed between sites treated with guided tissue regeneration in conjunction with tetracycline as compared to membrane placement alone. Further studies are needed to fully evaluate tetracycline root preparation in conjunction with regenerative therapy.

Factors influencing oral hygiene and gingival health in Greek schoolchildren.

397 children aged 12-17 years from different schools were divided into two groups. Group I comprised 192 children from private schools in Athens and Group II comprised 205 children from state schools of an industrial area in Piraeus. They were also subgrouped according to their socioeconomic class. They were interviewed with regard to their oral health habits, frequency of dental visits, etc., and subjected to clinical examination using the criteria and indices described by Silness & Löe and Löe & Silness. Stepwise regression analysis was used in the statistical evaluation of factors related to GI and Pl I. The following factors were found to be statistically significant in relation to GI: socioeconomic class, toothbrushing frequency, sex, and group examined. For Pl I statistically significant factors were found to be: age, group examined, and sex. All other variables were not significantly correlated to GI and Pl I.