Chairside clinicomicrobiological assessment of subgingival boric acid irrigation in periodontitis patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

Background: Elemental boron has a positive role in many functions in the human body, such as immune regulation, wound healing, bone health maintenance, etc. A boron-containing molecule (AN0128) has shown additional antimicrobial properties against virulent red-complex bacteria. However, there is a dearth of human trials evaluating the effectiveness of readily available boronic compounds in periodontitis patients.

Materials and methods: Thirty-six patients with generalized periodontitis were included in this double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial. Following scaling and root planing at baseline, each designated test site in the 18 treatment group subjects received subgingival 0.75% boric acid, whereas the remaining 18 subjects received placebo irrigation at the control site. At the 6^th week recall, test/control irrigations were repeated as per the group assigned. Clinical parameters were recorded at baseline, 6^th week and 12^th week, whereas chairside microbial assessment using benzoyl-DL-arginine-2-napthylamide (BANA) was done at baseline and 12^th week.

Results: Comparatively, the test group demonstrated significant improvements (P < 0.05) in terms of the gingival index, bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) at the 12^th week. Improved mean BOP, PPD, and CAL differences were highly significant (P < 0.005) for the test group at the 6^th week. Microbial assessment using the BANA test did not observe a significant intergroup difference following therapy.

Conclusion: Outcomes of the present trial demonstrated boron's significant role in clinical improvements. Adjunctive subgingival boric acid irrigation can be effective in healing following phase-I therapy.