Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy in Patients With Periodontal Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of concomitant antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPTD) on periodontal disease and glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Clinical Relevance: aPTD is a noninvasive adjunctive therapy that can positively influence the periodontal treatment outcome.

Numerous studies confirm that diabetes mellitus increases the risk of gingivitis and periodontitis. However, periodontal disease also impairs glycaemic control in people with diabetes mellitus via inflammatory mediators. Methods: Twenty-four patients with T2DM were enrolled in the study. Periodontal tissue status and periodontal disease were assessed by measuring probing pocket depth (PPD), bleeding on probing (BOP), clinical attachment loss (CAL), plaque index (PI) and sulcus bleeding index (SBI). Glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was measured. To determine the presence of the following periodontal pathogenic bacteria Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia and Treponema denticola, subgingival plaque samples were taken from two periodontal pockets with the greatest PPD using paper tips. Patients were randomly divided into the test and control group. In the test group, complete oral disinfection was performed in combination with aPTD. In the control group, only complete oral disinfection was performed.