The effects of antimicrobial acrylic strips on the subgingival microflora in chronic periodontitis

This study investigated the effects of root planing and/or the placement of acrylic strips containing chlorhexidine, metronidazole or tetracycline on the composition and antimicrobial susceptibility of the subgingival flora in chronic periodontitis. 101 periodontal pockets from 73 patients were entered into 6 treatment groups which were, chlorhexidine, metronidazole or tetracycline strips, root planing, root planing followed by metronidazole strips and a control, no treatment group. Total anaerobic counts and anaerobe/aerobe ratios were estimated from samples taken before treatment and 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after treatment. In addition, a more detailed analysis of the effects of the treatments on the subgingival flora was carried out on 12 pockets in 12 patients. Tetracycline strips, metronidazole strips and root planing and metronidazole strips were more effective than chlorhexidine strips in causing reductions in total anaerobic count and anaerobe/aerobe ratio. However, the changes in microbial parameters rebounded to approach baseline levels 4 weeks after treatment. Chlorhexidine caused no detectable changes in the composition of the subgingival microflora, while metronidazole had a variable effect. Tetracycline appeared to effect major shifts in the composition of the microflora of treated pockets but caused a marked selection of tetracycline-resistant organisms.