Effect of gallium-arsenic laser on photosensitized periodontopathic anaerobic organisms: An in vitro study

• Published in: Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology Vol. 20; no. 4; pp. 369 - 373
• Main Authors: Mathur, Setu, Kothiwale, Shaila Veerappa, Nag, Buddhi Prakash, Mathur, Tanu, Bhansali, Ashoka, Khatri, Rohit Kumar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 01-07-2016; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Analysis; Antibiotics; Bacteria; Conflicts of interest; Free radicals; Fusobacterium nucleatum; Laboratories; Lasers; Light; Microbial drug resistance; Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms); Organisms; Original; Patients; periodontitis; Photochemotherapy; photodynamic therapy; Porphyromonas gingivalis; Prevotella intermedia; Porphyromonas gingivalis; Fusobacterium nucleatum; Prevotella intermedia; photodynamic therapy; periodontitis
• ISSN: 0972-124X; 0975-1580
• DOI: 10.4103/0972-124X.186935

The mainstay of periodontal therapy is mechanical removal of subgingival plaque. There is considerable interest in supplementing it with the use of antibiotics and antiseptics. Many drawbacks are associated with these adjunctive pharmacological regimens such as development of resistance to antibiotics and disruption of microflora of the gastrointestinal tract. Hence, alternate means of killing subgingival bacteria are clearly desirable. One such method is the use of laser.
This study aimed to investigate antibacterial capabilities of gallium-arsenic (Ga-As) laser on photosensitized periodontopathic organisms. The three bacteria selected for the study were
,
, and
.
The subjects for the study were selected from the patients visiting the Department of Periodontics, Karnataka Lingayat Education Society's Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum.
study design.
Subgingival plaque samples collected from chronic periodontitis patients were cultured anaerobically for 72 h. Predetermined number of colonies of each bacterium was taken and was then divided into cases and control groups. Both groups were photosensitized using toluidine blue O (TBO) dye and the case groups were irradiated with Ga-As laser. Bacterial colonies were then serially diluted and were incubated for subculture. After incubation period, the number of viable bacterial count was performed.
Wilcoxon-signed rank test was carried out to determine significance of reduction on subsequent dilution within the bacterial group. Mann-Whitney U-test was performed to determine the significance of reduction between cases and control of particular bacterial group.
The results revealed substantial reduction in the viable bacterial count.
was found to be most sensitive to killing by laser irradiation followed by
and then
. Further, the TBO dye per se did not have any significant bactericidal effect.
Photodynamic Therapy may prove to be a promising method for eradicating periodontopathic bacteria in near future.