The Use of Molecular Biology Methods to Evaluate the Activity of Different Topical Treatments Against Periodontal Pathogen Bacteria

Background: Periodontal disease results from a complex interaction between the microbial biofilm and the host immune response. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare, in samples of dental plaque in periodontal patients, the presence of periodontal bacteria before and after two different non-surgical treatments: ozone (O3) therapy and a desiccant agent (HybenX, HBX, administered one or three times). Methods: Molecular biology techniques were used to estimate the effect of the two treatments on different periodontal pathogen microorganisms. The presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythia, Actinomyces naeslundii and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was investigated by multiplex PCR (mPCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR) at baseline (T = 0, before oral hygiene), one week (T = 1), two weeks (T = 2), one month (T = 3) and three months (T = 4) after treatment. Results: P. intermedia was the most frequently detected pathogen in the study population, further quantified by qPCR in samples positive to mPCR at baseline (T = 0) and at the end of treatment (T = 4). The qPCR results showed evident decreases in load after treatment with HBX x1, HBX x3 and O3; nevertheless, comparison between groups and between time points (from T = 0 to T = 4) did not show any significant differences (p = 0.3 and p = 0.8). For P. gingivalis, the O3 therapy showed a reduction in detection after two weeks and after one month, while HBX showed a great reduction in its presence when administered three times. Conclusion: Both agents were effective in reducing the presence of the periodontal pathogens in the dental pockets of patients affected by chronic periodontal diseases. In particular, HBX applied three times showed greater improvement compared to a single application.