Post-academic dental specialties 19. The effect of periodontal treatment on the degree of de novo plaque formation

In order to determine whether the quantity of bacteria in saliva and the degree of periodontal infection influence the speed of de novo plaque formation in periodontitis patients, 23 patients rinsed with 10 ml sterile saline. All teeth were then supragingivally and professionally cleaned, after which the patients were not allowed to undertake any form of oral hygiene for 24 hours. After this period, the rinsing procedure was repeated and the amount of de novo plaque was assessed. Three months after the initial periodontal therapy was completed the experiment was repeated. Both before and after treatment, the periodontal parameters were evaluated. The results showed that the quantity of the de novo plaque in healthy areas was less than in infected areas. In order to determine the influence of the quantity of bacteria in the saliva, only the areas which were already healthy before the treatment and the same areas after treatment were inspected. It was concluded that the degree of periodontal infection was the most important parameter for the degree of de novo plaque formation, but that the number of bacteria in the saliva also played a role.