Dental hypofunction alters subgingival microorganisms: a pilot study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate dental plaque compositions, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1-alpha levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) at hypofunctional and normofunctional teeth in healthy individuals and chronic periodontitis patients.Sixty systemically healthy individuals were enrolled. Study groups were: group 1 hypofunctional healthy group (group 1, N.=15); group 2 hypofunctional periodontitis group (group 2, N.=15); group 3 normofunctional healthy group (group 3, N.=15); and group 4 normofunctional periodontitis group (group 4, N.=15). Clinical periodontal measurements (plaque index, gingival index and clinical attachment level) were recorded. Dental plaque and GCF samples were taken. VEGF and HIF 1-alpha levels in GCF were determined. Subgingival plaque samples were evaluated for 11 different bacterial species as, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Prevotella intermedia, Peptostreptococcus micros, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Campylobacter rectus, Eubacterium nodatum, Eikenella corrodens and Capnocytophaga species.Tannerella forsythia, Peptostreptococcus micros, Eubacterium nodatum levels decreased in hypofunctional healthy and periodontitis groups (P<0.05). Porphyromonas gingivalis levels increased in hypofunctional healthy group and decreased in hypofunctional periodontitis group (P<0.05). There was also a decrease in Eikenella corrodens levels in hypofunctional periodontitis group (P<0.05). There were no difference regarding the Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Capnocytophaga spp., Prevotella intermedia and Fusobacterium nucleatum levels among the groups (P>0.05). VEGF and HIF-1α levels in both GCF and serum samples were also similar (P>0.05).Within the limits of this study, the authors found that the levels of four significant bacterial strains were decreased in both hypofunctional healthy and hypofunctional periodontitis groups compared to normofunctional equivalents. Though not evaluated in this study, this situation could be due to periodontal ligament atrophy and related physiological alterations.