The Impact of Scaling and Root Planing on Porphyromonas gingivalis Load and Periodontal Health in Dogs: A Longitudinal Study.

Abstract

Introduction: Periodontal disease is a widespread oral health issue in pets, particularly in dogs, linked to plaque accumulation, inflammation, and tissue destruction. Despite the common use of scaling and root planing (SRP) in veterinary dentistry, there is limited research on its effects on bacterial load and periodontal health indicators in pets, particularly in Iran. This study aims to evaluate the impact of SRP on Porphyromonas gingivalis load and periodontal health in dogs and emphasize the importance of post-treatment monitoring to prevent disease recurrence.

Materials & methods: Ten adult dogs with periodontal disease were selected for this split- mouth study. Four teeth from each dog were treated with SRP. Subgingival plaque samples were collected before SRP (baseline) and on days 10 and 30 post-treatment, with bacterial load assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting P. gingivalis. Clinical parameters such as periodontal pocket depth (PPD), gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), sulcus bleeding, and clinical attachment loss (CAL) were measured at baseline, day 10, and day 90 to monitor the effects of the intervention.

Results: The data revealed a significant reduction in PI by day 10, though some plaque reaccumulation occurred by day 90. Bleeding on probing showed mixed results, with some dogs improving by day 90 while others either remained the same or worsened; changes in sulcus bleeding were not statistically significant. GI initially improved by day 10 but returned to baseline in many dogs by day 90, with no statistically significant changes. PPD showed some short-term improvements by day 10, but these were not sustained by day 90. CAL worsened progressively in most dogs by day 90, indicating ongoing periodontal deterioration without intervention, though changes in CAL were not statistically significant. Real-time PCR results showed a sharp increase in P. gingivalis load by day 10, peaking at a fold change of 9.45, followed by a slight reduction by day 30, indicating bacterial regrowth post-intervention.

Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of ongoing monitoring after SRP to sustain short-term improvements in plaque reduction and bacterial load. Future research should investigate the use of adjunctive therapies, including the application of nanotechnology, to improve long-term periodontal health in pets.