Periodontitis associated bacteria in supragingival plaque of dental hygienists: stability of carrier state and clinical development

The purpose of this study was the clinical and microbiological re-examinati on of dental hygienists, who, 30 months before, had shown remarkably high s upragingival levels of periodontitis-associated micro-organisms. Interdenta l plaque was collected from the same molar sites and investigated by the sa me immunofluorescence assay with taxa-specific monoclonal antibodies as at the initial examination. On average, the 15 re-examined subjects showed sli ghtly increased plaque levels but unchanged bleeding on probing scores (0.3 -1.4). Pocket formation was restricted to a single subject. Prevotella inte rmedia/P. nigrescens and Peptostreptococcus micros were present in every pl aque sample. Prevalences of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroid es forsythus and Campylobacter rectus were again between 20-40%, but some f luctuation within subjects was noted. The data confirm supragingival plaque as a natural habitat for periodontitis-associated bacteria in periodontial ly healthy persons, and indicate that colonization with A. actinomycetemcom itans, B, forsythus or C. rectus is mostly stable in spite of better than a verage personal plaque control.