Periodontal treatment is more effective in gastric Helicobacter pylori eradication in those patients who maintain good oral hygiene

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of periodontal treatment and oral hygiene on the eradication of gastric Helicobacter pylori. Materials and methods: In this clinical trial, the 98 patients with gastric H. pylori infection that were enrolled received either triple-therapy regimen only or triple-therapy regimen plus periodontal treatment given during triple therapy. Eradication of H. pylori was checked at 3 months, and then after therapy using the urea breath test. Results: The triple-therapy plus periodontal treatment regime resulted in a 64.7% eradication rate, and the triple-therapy regime alone resulted in a 51.1% eradication rate (P = 0.17). Additionally, subgroup analysis indicated that the beneficial effect of periodontal treatment on the gastric H. pylori eradication rate improved if adequate plaque control was maintained (P = 0.02). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that post-treatment oral hygiene status [as indicated by the Oral Hygiene Index (OHI)] was associated with H. pylori eradication (P = 0.02), but not with pretreatment oral hygiene status (P = 0.24). Oral hygiene measures without periodontal treatment appear to have a limited impact on H. pylori eradication. Post-treatment oral hygiene level (OHI ≤ 1.25) had a positive effect on H. pylori eradication, increased the gastric eradication rate, with an OR of 3.19, and the oral H. pylori eradication rate, with an OR of 4.57. Furthermore, if periodontal treatment was unsuccessful in eliminating oral H. pylori, as tested using the Campylobacter-like organism test, the OR for the unsuccessful gastric eradication increased 64-fold. Conclusion: This result illustrates that the key factors for achieving successful gastric H. pylori eradication are professional periodontal treatment and the patients’ later adherence to an oral hygiene regimen.