Periodontal pathogens in subgingival plaque of type 1 diabetes patients

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of periodontal pathogens Actinobacillus actinomycemecormitans (Aa), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Prevotella intermedia (Pi), Tannerella forsytia (Tf ) and Treponema denticola (Td) in subgingival plaque of type 1 diabetes patients with periodontal disease. Methods: 21 patients old 40 to 50 years were included. In each patient subgingival plaque samples were taken with paper points from 2 deepest pockets and the presence of five periodontal pathogens was detected in all samples by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a Micro-IDent test (Hain Lifescience, Nehren, Germany). Results: The results of 42 plaque samples showed that Tf was found in 48 % followed by Td in 31%, Pg in 26%, Pa in 9% and Aa in 7%. No periodontal pathogens were detected in pockets with a depth of 4 mm. In 50% of samples taken from pockets with a depth of 5 mm, in all samples taken from pockets with a depth of 6 mm and in the majority of samples taken from pockets with a depth of 7 mm or more at least 1 of five periodontal pathogens was detected. Tf and Td were the most frequent combination of periodontal pathogens found in the same sample. The serum level of HbA1c in 9 patients where Tf was detected (7.5„b1.4%) was significantly higher (F-test, p=0.002) than in 12 patients where Tf was not detected (6.8„b0.4%). Similarly the serum level of HbA1c was significantly higher (F-test, p=0.001) in 8 patients where Td was detected (7.5„b1.8%) comparing to the 13 patients where Td was not detected (7.0„b0.5%). No such correlation was found for Pg, Pi and Aa. Conclusions: We are concluding that Tf and Td are most frequently found in subgingival samples of diabetic patients and that these findings correlate with poorer metabolic control of patients.