Effects of sub-lethal doses of photo-activated disinfection against Porphyromonas gingivalis for pharmaceutical treatment of periodontal-endodontic lesions.

BACKGROUND

Microorganisms treated by photo-activated disinfection (PAD) in combined periodontal-endodontic (perio-endo) lesions would be exposed to sub-lethal doses of PAD (sPAD). This study evaluated the effect of sPAD using toluidine blue O (TBO) in combination with diode laser irradiation on the growth and biofilm-formation ability of Porphyromonas gingivalis as an endo-periodontal pathogen.

METHODS

The antibacterial and antibiofilm potential of sPAD against P. gingivalis was analyzed at sub-lethal doses of TBO and irradiation time of diode laser on a colony-forming unit and crystal violet assays, respectively.

RESULTS

TBO-mediated PAD, using 6.25-100μg/mL at a fluency of 171.87J/cm2 and 12.5-100μg/mL at a fluency of 137.5J/cm2, showed a significant dose-dependent reduction in P. gingivalis growth when compared to the control. TBO-mediated PAD showed a significantly inhibitory effect on biofilm formation in P. gingivalis than TBO-PAD at sub-lethal levels.

CONCLUSION

High doses of sPAD revealed antibacterial and antibiofilm potential activity, whereas lower doses of sPAD had conflicting results. Therefore, when PAD is prescribed in combined perio-endo lesions treatment, the dose of PAD used in vivo should be taken into account.