The impact of a needs-oriented dental prophylaxis program on bacteremia after toothbrushing and systemic inflammation in children, adolescents, and young adults with chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) still leads to high mortality rates, mainly due to cardiovascular disease. One important influencing factor is persisting low-grade chronic inflammation partly maintained by gingivitis that favors transient bacteremia during daily activities such as toothbrushing. METHODS: To examine whether intensive dental prophylaxis can restore oral health, reduce the prevalence of bacteremia and degree of systemic inflammation indicated by CRP levels, we conducted this pilot study examining 30 CKD patients aged 6–26 years, 15 receiving intensive prophylaxis (IP), 15 receiving treatment as usual (TAU) serving as control group. There were three appointments for examination, each 10 ± 1 weeks apart (at baseline, after intervention periods one and two, when TAU also received IP, and the IP group stopped prophylaxis). RESULTS: The gingival index (GI) in the IP group decreased by 90% (GI 0.09; p=0.001), resulting in almost healthy gingiva. There was no significant change in CRP or prevalence of bacteremia. General prevalence of bacteremia after toothbrushing was 9.5% affecting 7 (26%) of the participants. In three participants, bacteremia dissolved after IP, in one after TAU. Two patients developed bacteremia ≥ 10 weeks after ending IP. We identified eight different bacterial species. CONCLUSIONS: We were able to show that IP can effectively treat gingivitis. It might be a promising approach to reduce systemic inflammation and subsequently lower premature cardiovascular disease, despite the lack of statistical significance. Future research requires a larger patient cohort to enable matched treatment groups with long-term follow-up and molecular detection methods for bacteremia. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Figure: see text] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00467-021-05153-1.