The Inhibition Effect of 940 nm Diode Laser on Some Microorganisms Associated With Gingivitis

Abstract

Background : Poor oral hygiene lead to gingival inflammation due to the accumulation of plaque and microorganisms. Scaling and polishing was considered as an effective treatment of gingivitis. Several systemic and local antimicrobials were found to enhance the mechanical treatment. However, these antimicrobial agents may lead to bacterial resistance and systemic side effects in addi - tion to limitation in the accessibility to the affected areas. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of diode laser (940nm) in combination to the traditional mechanical treatment. Materials and methods: twenty patients with bilateral gingivitis were selected. For each patient, one side of the mouth was treated traditionally. The other side was treated with 2 W diode laser (940nm) after scaling and polishing. Smears were taken from deepest points of the gingival sulci of both sides. The collected bacterial samples were inoculated in brain-heart infusion and inoculated into blood agar plates and MacConkey agar plates for 24 hours aerobically and 24-48 hours anaerobically (using jar and CO2 gas pack) at 37oC. The collected data of bacterial identification were tabulated in excel tables. Means, standard deviations, ANOVA test and p value were calculated. RESULTS there is highly significant decrease in the identification of aerobic bacteria after using diode laser. Anaerobic bacteria were less identified, but they were completely absent after diode laser treatment. Conclusion: Diode laser (940nm) could be successfully used adjunctive to mechanical scaling and polishing to integrate the antimi - crobial action within the gingival sulci.