Salivary Periodontopathic Bacteria in Children and Adolescents with Down Syndrome

<div><p>Objective</p><p>To assess and compare salivary periodontopathic bacteria between groups of Down syndrome and non-Down syndrome children and adolescents.</p><p>Materials and Methods</p><p>This study included a sample of 30 Down syndrome children and adolescents (G-DS) and 30 age- and sex-matched non-Down syndrome subjects (G-ND). Clinical examination determined the gingival bleeding index (GBI) and plaque index. Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected from all participants. The fluorescence <i>in situ</i> hybridization (FISH) technique identified the presence and density of eight periodontopathic bacteria in saliva. The statistical analysis included chi-square and Mann-Whitney <i>U</i> tests.</p><p>Results</p><p>In the G-DS group, bleeding on probing was more frequent (<i>p</i> = 0.037) and higher densities of <i>Campylobacter rectus</i> (<i>p</i> = 0.013), <i>Porphyromonas gingivalis</i> (<i>p</i> = 0.025), <i>Treponema denticola</i> (<i>p</i> = 0.026), <i>Fusobacterium nucleatum</i> (<i>p</i> = 0.013), <i>Prevotella intermedia</i> (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and <i>Prevotella nigrescens</i> (<i>p</i> = 0.008) were observed. Besides, in the G-DS, the densities of bacteria from the orange complex were significantly higher in the age group 3–7 years for <i>F</i>. <i>nucleatum</i> (<i>p</i> = 0.029), <i>P</i>. <i>intermedia</i> (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and <i>P</i>. <i>nigrescens</i> (<i>p</i> = 0.006). <i>C</i>. <i>rectus was</i> higher in the age group 8–12 years (<i>p</i> = 0.045).</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>The results showed that children and adolescents with Down syndrome have higher susceptibility to periodontal disease and number of periodontopathic bacteria.</p>