Abstract
The prevalence profile of periodontal pathogens in dental plaque can vary as a function of the detection method; however, the sampling technique may also play a role in determining dental plaque microbial profiles. We sought to determine the bacterial composition comparing two sampling methods, one well stablished and a new one proposed here. In this study, a ligature‐induced periodontitis model was used in 30 rats. Twenty‐seven days later, ligatures were removed and microbiological samples were obtained directly from the ligatures as well as from the periodontal pockets using absorbent paper points. Microbial analysis was performed using DNA probes to a panel of 40 periodontal species in the checkerboard assay. The bacterial composition patterns were similar for both sampling methods. However, detection levels for all species were markedly higher for ligatures compared with paper points. Ligature samples provided more bacterial counts than paper points, suggesting that the technique for induction of periodontitis could also be applied for sampling in rats. Our findings may be helpful in designing studies of induced periodontal disease‐associated microbiota.
Highlights
Dental plaque is a complex microbial biofilm in which more than 700 species of bacteria have been identified (Dewhirst et al, 2010)
The bacterial composition patterns were similar for both sampling methods with the detection levels in periodontal pocket samples being markedly lower compared with those in ligature samples
The same 34 species were detected in both ligature and periodontal pocket samples (Table 1), but ligature samples included significantly higher amounts of bacteria than periodontal pocket samples (Figure 3), the threshold of detection being 105 cells
Summary
Dental plaque is a complex microbial biofilm in which more than 700 species of bacteria have been identified (Dewhirst et al, 2010). Baker, Butler, and Wikesjö (1991), Fine (2009), Graves, Fine, Teng, Van Dyke, and Hajishengallis (2008), Klausen (1991), Tanner and Goodson (1986) discussed sampling using curettes, scalers, paper points, broaches within cannula, and irrigation of periodontal pockets. They stated that paper points were used by an increasing number of investigators mostly for microbiological culture studies; hereby, the loosely adherent tissue associated microorganisms in the periodontal pocket were sampled
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