Effects of hyperbaric oxygen on aggressive periodontitis and subgingival anaerobes in Chinese patients

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO(2)) on aggressive periodontitis (AgP), and subgingival obligate anaerobes in Chinese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty cases of Chinese patients with AgP were randomly divided into two groups –the HBO(2) group (30 cases) and the control group (30 cases). Study teeth were divided into four groups –: the HBO(2) therapy, the HBO(2) + scaling scaling group, the scaling group and the control group. Subgingival anaerobic organisms were measured with anaerobic culture, and number of obligate anaerobes and facultative anaerobes and Bacteroides melaninogenicus was counted. Comparisons of changes in the clinical indices, and subgingival anaerobes were made between the groups. RESULTS: Highly significant differences in gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), attachment loss (AL), and Plaque index (PLI), and tooth odontoseisis (TO) were seen in the HBO(2), the HBO(2) + scaling and the scaling groups when compared with the control group (P<0.01). The number of subgingival anaerobes as well as the types of obligate anaerobes and facultative anaerobes and the number of Bacteroides melaninogenicus were reduced markedly in these three treatment groups. Highly statistical differences in clinical indices, subgingival anaerobe number and types of obligate anaerobes and facultative anaerobes and Bacteroides melaninogenicus were found when comparisons were made between the HBO(2) + scaling and the HBO(2) groups, as well as between the HBO(2) + scaling and the scaling groups. Clinical follow-ups indicated that the GI, PD, AL, TO, PLI and subgingival anaerobes number of the three therapeutic groups were reduced more severely than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: HBO(2) had good therapeutic effects on Chinese patients with AgP. HBO(2) therapy combined with scaling and root planing was the most beneficial in the treatment of AgP. The therapeutic effect of HBO(2) on AgP is most likely through inhibition of the growth of subgingival anaerobes. Clinical follow-ups suggest that the effect could last more than 2 years.