Short‐Term Effects of Non‐Surgical Periodontal Treatment on Plasma Level of Reactive Oxygen Metabolites in Patients With Chronic Periodontitis

Abstract

Elevated levels of blood reactive oxygen species (ROS) are associated with the severity of periodontitis. Therefore, improvement of periodontitis may result in a decrease in blood ROS. However, it is unclear how periodontal treatment affects blood ROS. Recently, reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) were recognized as a useful measure of blood ROS. The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate the effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment on plasma ROMs in patients with chronic periodontitis. Nineteen subjects with chronic periodontitis (mean age: 46.8 years) were monitored at baseline (prior to scaling and root planing) and 1 and 2 months after therapy. Dental health parameters were evaluated, and plasma was obtained at these time points from patients and controls (19 subjects without periodontitis; mean age: 45.3 years). The plasma ROM level was determined using a spectrophotometric technique. At baseline, patients with chronic periodontitis had higher plasma ROM level (441.8 +/- 71.1 Carratelli units) than the control subjects (324.4 +/- 34.0 Carratelli units; P <0.01). Probing depth, clinical attachment level, and bleeding on probing in patients with chronic periodontitis showed a significant improvement 2 months after non-surgical periodontal treatment, and this was accompanied by a significant reduction in plasma ROM level (P <0.01). In patients with chronic periodontitis, non-surgical periodontal treatment was effective at improving clinical parameters and reducing plasma ROMs. The improvement in chronic periodontitis by non-surgical periodontal treatment might offer clinical benefits by decreasing blood ROS.