ONE-STAGE FULL-MOUTH DISINFECTION TO OVERCOME INTRAORAL TRANSMISSION OF PERIODONTOPATHOGENS

The oral cavity offers a range of different niches where periodontopat hogens can adhere and survive (e.g. the mucosa, the tongue, the tonsil s, the saliva and all intra-oral hard surfaces such as teeth, dentures , oral implants). Transmission of bacteria from one niche to another i s likely to occur. Recent studies, for example, illustrated that initi ally sterile abutments of oral implants were rapidly colonized by bact eria from the subgingival environment around teeth. This transmission of bacteria can occur spontaneously via the saliva, or by means of ora l hygiene aids and/or dental instruments. Such an intra-oral transmiss ion, if it occurs at a high speed, could jeopardize the outcome of per iodontal therapy. To overcome a bacterial transmission, a 'one-stage f ull-mouth disinfection' was recently introduced for the treatment of p eriodontal infections. This new treatment strategy resulted in signifi cant clinical and microbiological improvements when compared, with the standard sequential treatment. (C) 1997 Academic Press.