Descripción de la microbiota subgingival de sujetos mexicanos con periodontitis crónica

Abstract

Introduction: Periodontal diseases are infections, caused by microorganisms that colonize oral surfaces in a complex structure called biofilm. Purpose: To describe the microbial composition of subgingival plaque samples in Mexican subjects with chronic periodontitis. Methods: 56 patients (33 with chronic periodontitis and 23 periodontally healthy) were included in the study. Subgingival plaque samples were evaluated using the “checkerboard” DNADNA hybridization technique. Results: Mean DNA probe counts were significantly higher in chronic periodontitis subjects for P. gingivalis (p < 0.001), T. forsythensis (p < 0.01) and for T. denticola and A. actinomycetemcomitans (p < 0.05). Chronic periodontitis subjects also exhibited significantly higher proportions of “red” complex species and significantly lower proportions of Actinomyces species and microorganisms included in the “yellow” complex when compared with healthy subjects. Conclusions: Due to the complexity of the subgingival microbiota detected in Mexican subjects and the differences found with other subject populations, future studies are necessary to aid in the understanding of the role of specific bacterial species in the disease process in our country and the efficacy of periodontal therapies.