Subgingival temperature: relation to gingival crevicular fluid enzymes, cytokines, and subgingival plaque micro-organisms

• Published in: Journal of clinical periodontology Vol. 24; no. 12; pp. 900 - 906
• Main Authors: Wolff, Larry F., Koller, Nancy J., Smith, Quenton T., Mathur, Ambika, Aeppli, Dorothee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.1997
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans - isolation & purification; Body Temperature; crevicular fluid; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cytokines - analysis; Dental Plaque - microbiology; Dental Plaque Index; Dentistry; Eikenella corrodens - isolation & purification; enzymes cytokines; Female; Fusobacterium nucleatum - isolation & purification; Gingiva - physiopathology; Gingival Crevicular Fluid - chemistry; Gingival Crevicular Fluid - enzymology; Gingival Crevicular Fluid - physiology; Gingival Hemorrhage - physiopathology; Gingivitis - microbiology; Gingivitis - physiopathology; Glucuronidase - analysis; Humans; Interferon-gamma - analysis; Interleukin-1 - analysis; Leukocyte Elastase - analysis; Male; Middle Aged; Periodontal Attachment Loss - physiopathology; periodontal disease; Periodontal Index; Periodontal Pocket - physiopathology; Periodontitis - microbiology; Periodontitis - physiopathology; Peroxidase - analysis; Porphyromonas gingivalis - isolation & purification; Prevotella intermedia - isolation & purification; temperature
• ISSN: 0303-6979; 1600-051X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.1997.tb01209.x

There have been no reports on the relationship of subgingival temperature to specific gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) components. Therefore, the purpose of this cross‐sectional study was to determine whether there was any relationship between subgingival temperature and GCF levels of neutrophil elastase (NE), myeloperoxidase (MPO), beta‐glucuronidase (BG), interleukin‐1 α (IL‐l), and interferon α (IFN). Furthermore, another objective was to confirm an association of subgingival temperature with clinical parameters and specific subgingival plaque micro‐organisms as has been reported earlier. 27 human subjects each having healthy (n=50), gingivitis (n=59) and periodontitis (n=53) sites were evaluated. The plaque index (PI), subgingival temperature, probing depth, attachment loss, bleeding index and gingival index were measured. GCF was sampled following the measurement of the PI and removal of the supragingival plaque. GCF samples were assayed for the enzymes NE, BG, MPO and the cytokines IFN‐α and IL‐1 α. A sterile Gracey curette was utilized at each sampled site to collect subgingival plaque. The plaque samples were evaluated using an immuno‐assay. Subgingival temperature was found to directly correlate with all clinical parameters (p<0.001). Significant, albeit not large, correlations were found between subgingival temperature and NE (r= 0.35, p<0.001), MPO (r= 0.26, p<0.001)and BG (r= 0.23, p<0.01). Temperature was found to correlate positively with E. corrodens (r= 0.33, p<0.02) and F. nucleatum (r= 0.25, p<0.05) but not with P. intermedia (r= 0.02, p= 0.9), P. gingivalis (r= 0, 20, p=0.1) and A. actinomycetemcomitans (r=0.01, p0.9). In conclusion, subgingival temperature is correlated with the GCF enzymes, NE, MPO and BG as well as the clinical parameters and specific plaque micro‐organisms associated with periodontal disease.