Adjunctive Effect of Photodynamic Therapy on Halitosis

The present study aims to evaluate bad breath in patients undergoing gingival treatment combined with tongue scraping and laser and to assess its potential benefits for both periodontal and microbiological condition. Firs patients will be selected among those who participated in a privies study. Additional patients will be also invited. They must have gum disease and bad breath. Treatments will be completed within 24 hours and oral samples will be collected with thin paper points. Bad breath will be evaluated by a professional and a specific gas machine.

The present study aims to evaluate halitosis in patients undergoing non-surgical periodontal therapy \[(Full-mouth disinfection (FMD) combined with tongue scraping and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), and to assess its potential benefits for both periodontal and microbiological condition. A pilot study will be performed with participants who took part almost 10 years ago in the study NCT02368678. They will be invited by phone contact. In addition, new participants will be recruited by convenience in dental clinics from the Federal University of Minas Gerais until completion of 20 participants per group. Individuals with stage III periodontitis and halitosis (organoleptic method \> 2), will be allocated into two periodontal treatment groups. Halitosis will be assessed using the organoleptic method and gas chromatography (OralChroma device) at three time points: before and after treatments. Microbiological samples will be collected before and after treatments from periodontal pockets and pooled samples from the tongue dorsum. These samples will be analyzed by using real-time PCR (q-PCR) aiming at detecting target bacterial species.