No differences in microbiome changes between anti-adhesive and antibacterial ingredients in toothpastes during periodontal therapy

Abstract

Aim: This subgroup analysis of a 12-week randomized, double-blind, and two-center trial aimed to evaluate whether two different toothpaste formulations can differentially modulate the dental microbiome.

Material and methods: Forty one mild to moderate periodontitis patients used as an adjunct to periodontal treatment either a toothpaste with anti-adhesive zinc-substituted carbonated hydroxyapatite (HA) or with antimicrobial and anti-adhesive amine fluoride/stannous fluoride (AmF/SnF₂ ) during a 12-week period. Plaque samples from buccal/lingual, interproximal, and subgingival sites were taken at baseline, 4 weeks after oral hygiene phase, and 8 weeks after periodontal therapy. Samples were analyzed with paired-end Illumina Miseq 16S rDNA sequencing. The differences and changes on community level (alpha and beta diversity) and on the level of single agglomerated ribosomal sequence variants (aRSV) were calculated with analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and likelihood ratio test (LRT).

Results: Interproximal and subgingival sites harbored predominately Fusobacterium and Prevotella species associated with periodontitis, whereas buccal/lingual sites harbored mainly Streptococcus and Veillonella species associated with periodontal health. Alpha and beta diversity did not change noticeably differently between both toothpaste groups (P > 0.05, ANCOVA). Furthermore, none of the aRSVs showed a noticeably different change between the tested toothpastes during periodontal therapy (P_{adj .} > 0.05, LRT).

Conclusion: The use of a toothpaste containing anti-adhesive HA did not induce statistically noticeably different changes on microbial composition compared to an antimicrobial and anti-adhesive AmF/SnF₂ formulation.

Keywords: dental plaque; nonsurgical periodontal therapy; periodontal microbiota; subgingival plaque.