Subgingival irrigation with amine fluoride-stannous fluoride gel in treated periodontal pockets.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term effect of subgingival irrigations with amine fluoride mixed with stannous fluoride on the repopulation of bacteria in deep periodontal pockets (> 5 mm) following the active phase of non-surgical mechanical treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A split-mouth design was utilized in eight periodontal patients and the effect of the treatment was evaluated by microbiological culturing and clinical parameters. RESULTS: Slight reduction in total anaerobe counts were detected in both treated and control sides, up to the first 5 weeks, followed by an increase in the counts reaching a plateau after 30 weeks. In contrast, black-pigmented bacteroides species (BPB) were significantly suppressed in the treated sides as compared to the control sides over the whole study period. The difference between the clinical parameters and between the tested and control sides, although in some points were found to be statistically significant, seem to have no clinical significance. The use of amine fluoride-stannous fluoride gel for irrigations of deep periodontal pockets as an adjunctive to conventional treatment, can prevent the repopulation of the pockets by BPB, which are considered to be a major group of periodontal pathogens.