Effects of Oxygen Tension with Irrigation in Periodontal Pockets on Clinical Symptons and Oral Bacterial Flora: The Effects of Irrigation with 0.25% Povidone-iodine Solution - Including Oxygen

This study was designed to examine the effects of oxygen tension in periodontal pockets on clinical symptoms and oral bacterial flora. We divided teeth with periodontal pockets in the initial preparation phase into a high-O2 group, a low-O2 group and a control group. At 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after the start of the study, teeth in the high-02 group were irrigated within the periodontal pockets with 0.25% Povidone-lodine solution including high tension oxygen. Teeth in the low-02 group were irrigated with the 0.25% Povidone-lodine solution only. Controls were treated only by scaling and root planing. Thereafter, we observed these three groups and compared the 02 group with the non-02 and control groups by examining clinical parameters and bacterial flora in periodontal pockets before the irrigations for each week. Consequently, tendencies for an improved Plaque Index, Gingival Index, Gingival Crevicular Fluid, Probing depth and Bleeding on probing, as well as reduced oxygen tension and numbers of bacteriological findings, were noted for each group. In particular, the high-O2 group showed a significantly reduced number of bacteria as identified by DNA probe in comparison with the low-O2 and control groups when examined for bacterial flora.