A topical desiccant agent in association with ultrasonic debridement in the initial treatment of chronic periodontitis: a clinical and microbiological study

Effective sub-gingival debridement is crucial to prevent serious systemic infections in hospitalizedpatients. Lack of compliance and the impracticality of repeated treatment in a short span of time areidentified barriers to the performance of full mouth scaling and root planing (SRP). The aim of thisrandomized study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological effects of the adjunctiveadministration of a locally delivered desiccant liquid with molecular hygroscopic properties(HYBENX® Oral Tissue Decontaminant™; HBX) in association with sub-gingival ultrasonicdebridement (UD) in a hospital setting. Sixteen patients presenting moderate to severe chronicperiodontitis were followed in a randomized 3-month, split-mouth, single-blind, prospective study.At baseline (T1) control and test sides were treated with supra and subgingival UD with or withoutthe association of a locally delivered desiccant liquid (HBX). Treatment was repeated after 6 weeks(T2). Clinical and microbiological parameters were assessed at T1, T2 and at 3 months (T3). Thetest group sites presented a significantly greater reduction in visible plaque index (VPI), bleeding onprobing scores (BOP) and gingival index (GI) at T2 and T3 compared to the control group sites. HBX as monotherapy reached the same bacterial load reduction as UD. Compared to UD, acombined HBX-UD treatment resulted in a statistically significant greater bacterial load reductionimmediately after treatment. A significantly lower anaerobic bacterial load was still present at T2.Data obtained show that decreased inflammatory signs and reduction of the bacterial load can beobtained in the short term by topical association of the desiccant agent HBX with UD.