Gingivitis is accompanied by microorganisms, including pathogens, which must be eliminated to speed up the treatment of inflammation. Laser irradiation may be one of the safe methods for reducing tissue contamination on the tooth surface. The aim of the study was the assessment of the tooth surface in patients with gingivitis after the use of a diode laser to eliminate microorganisms living there. In the first stage of the research, microorganisms were isolated (Candida albicans, C. guilliermondii, Escherichia coli, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Neisseria subflava, Rothia dentocariosa, Rothia mucilaginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae) from three patients with gingivitis, their identification confirmed using the MALDI-TOF MS technique (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry). Then, the irradiation process with a diode laser was optimized to a wavelength of 810 nm ± 10 nm in five variants to reduce microorganisms on the tooth. The tooth surface was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and optical profilometry (OP) before and after irradiation. 103 to 106 CFU were detected on a 0.4 cm2 tooth area. Nine types of bacteria and two types of fungi dominated among the microorganisms. The laser at the most effective biocidal dose of 25 W/15.000 Hz/10 µs, average = 3.84 W, with three uses after 15 s, increased the reduction of fungi from 57.97% to 93.80%, and bacteria from 30.67% to 100%. This dose also caused a decrease in the degree of oxidation and in the effect of smoothing on the treated surfaces.
Keywords: XPS; diode laser; microorganisms; optical profilometry; tooth.