Anaerobes and short-chain fatty acids in crevicular fluid from adults with chronic periodontitis.

Pathogeny of adult chronic periodontitis is still unclear. Bacteriological and chemical analysis of crevicular fluid have shown, in active sites of the disease, a simultaneous presence of anaerobes and their major by-product: short-chain fatty acids. The last can decrease "in vitro" the neutrophil intracellular pH, whenever these cells are incubated in an acid medium. Clinical investigations are scarce which hold out data useful to attempt verifying this possible physiopathological mechanism. This work shows the presence of anaerobes in the active periodontal pockets, together with the presence of short-chain fatty acids likely to reach a concentration level comparable to that used for inhibiting neutrophils "in vitro". Forthcoming studies should investigate about a possible intracellular pH drop in the neutrophils and other cells of the inflamed periodontium.