Microbiological changes associated with four different periodontal therapies for the treatment of chronic periodontitis

Background/aims: To examine subgingival microbiological changes in chronic periodontitis subjects receiving scaling and root planing (SRP) alone or with systemically administered azithromycin, metronidazole or a sub-antimicrobial dose of doxycycline. Methods: Ninety-two periodontitis subjects were randomly assigned to receive SRP alone or combined with azithromycin, metronidazole or sub-antimicrobial dose doxycycline. Subgingival plaque samples taken at baseline, 2 weeks, and 3, 6, and 12 months were analyzed for 40 bacterial species using checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization. Percentage of resistant species and percentage of sites harboring species resistant to the test antibiotics were determined at each time-point. Results: All treatments reduced counts of red complex species at 12 months, although no significant differences were detected among treatment groups for most species at all time-points. Both antibiotics significantly reduced counts of red complex species by 2 weeks. Percentage of resistant isolates increased in plaque samples in all adjunctive treatment groups, peaking at the end of administration, but returned to pretreatment levels by 12 months. Conclusion: The significant reduction of red and orange complex species at 2 weeks in the subjects receiving SRP plus azithromycin or metronidazole may have contributed to a better clinical response in these treatment groups. Therapy did not appear to create lasting changes in the percentage of resistant isolates or sites harboring resistant species.