Probiotic Chewing Gums for Adjuctive Treatment of Periodontitis in Diabetics

INTRODUCTION; The treatment of Periodontal disease in Diabetic subjects should also focus on lowering blood glucose levels, which might act as an adjuvant to conventional Periodontal treatment. In the form of Probiotics, Bacterial therapy offers a dual role in controlling blood glycemic levels and reducing colonization of oral bacteria. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of probiotics in managing Periodontitis among Diabetic and Non-Diabetic subjects. METHODOLOGY; This study was designed as a randomized, double-blinded clinical trial among Diabetic and Non-diabetic subjects with Periodontitis. Twenty-four subjects in each Diabetic and non-diabetic group were randomly assigned into two probiotic test sub-groups and one placebo sub-group. Lactobacillus fermentum MCC2760 and Bifidobacterium longum NCIM5684 probiotic chewing gums were provided to subjects in test groups to use twice a day for 30 days. Supragingival plaque samples were collected at baseline and 30 days to analyze total bacterial count and subgingival plaque for P.gingivalis, A.actinomycetemcomitans through qPCR. Clinical parameters were recorded at baseline, 30, 45, and 90 days. RESULTS; After 30 days, a significant reduction in PI, GI, PPD, and Gingival bleeding Index was observed in SRP and SRP+Probiotic groups. There is a significant reduction in total bacterial count among probiotic groups compared to placebo. PCR analysis revealed non-significant reduction of p.gingivalis and A.actinomycetemcomitans in test groups. Intergroup comparison between Diabetic and Non-diabetic groups did not show any significant differences either in clinical or microbial parameters. CONCLUSION; Probiotic functional foods can be delivered as an adjunct to SRP to manage Periodontitis in systemically compromised subjects. Long-time use of probiotics is recommended to maintain the recolonization of bacteria in periodontal tissues.