Oxygen Tension (pO₂) in Untreated Human Periodontal Pockets

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the oxygen tension in untreated human periodontal pockets and test the hypothesis that the subgingival environment is anaerobic in nature. Twenty‐six patients with advanced chronic inflammatory periodontal disease participated. A total of 111 untreated pockets, 5 to 10 mm in depth, were selected for the pO2 measurements. Pocket depths, Plaque‐Index and Gingival‐Index were recorded. The pO2 at the base of the 111 pockets ranged from 5 to 27 mm Hg, with an average of 13.3 mm Hg (1.8% 02). Mean pocket depth was 6.9 mm. Moderately deep pockets (5–6 mm) had a mean p02 of 15.0 mm Hg, whereas deep pockets (7–10 mm) showed a significantly lower pO2 of 11.6 mm Hg. No correlation was found between the pO2 and the Plaque‐Index. Higher Gingival‐Index scores tended to be associated with higher pO2 values. The pO2 in untreated periodontal pockets was low. However, it does not represent a completely anaerobic environment. Deep pockets contained less oxygen than moderately deep sites.

Interactions of Porphyromonas gingivalis with oxyhaemoglobin and deoxyhaemoglobin

“…However, it should be noted that deoxyhaemoglobin was not formed during incubation of oxyhaemoglobin with bacterial cells and it must be concluded that the ligated oxygen was used up during the process of µ-oxo bishaem generation from the oxygenated protein. The periodontal pocket, which is the preferred habitat of P. gingi alis [27], is not totally anaerobic [28], and partial pressures of O # of $ 20 mmHg have been measured [29]. This would yield a haemoglobin oxygen saturation of $ 25 %.…”

Role of the Hypoxia-Inducible Factor in Periodontal Inflammation

“…It has been well appreciated that low oxygen tension is common at inlamed periodontitis sites [4]; thus, the corresponding local immune responses must adapt to the hypoxic challenges. As mentioned above, hypoxia plays an important role in modulating the cellular activities of innate and adaptive immunity, so the impact of low pO 2 in periodontal immune responses is quite signiicant.…”

“…The epithelial cells in both oral mucosa and the gut are relatively hypoxic [4,77]. The corresponding oxygen gradient between the epithelium and subepithelial perfusion in turn provides a matching cellular HIF-1α gradient in the tissues involved and perhaps the respective physiological function in cellular homeostasis.…”

“…In the gingivitis-afected sulcus or periodontal pocket, the inlammation induced by the residential anaerobic bacteria with or without microulcerations or wounding leads to an even lower oxygen tension [4]. At the tissue level, the availability of oxygen is dependent on the distance from the oxygen-supplying blood vessels.…”

Susceptibility of microcosm subgingival dental plaques to lethal photosensitization

“…In this study, to model the microaerophilic conditions found in periodontal pockets (Mettraux et al, 1984), the CDFF was operated by continuous flushing (60 cm 3 /min) with a gas mixture consisting of 95% N 2 , 3% CO 2 , 2% O 2 . The growth medium used to enable propagation of biofilms from the microcosm plaques consisted of RPMI medium (60%) (Sigma, Poole, UK) and horse serum (40%) (Oxoid, Basingstoke, UK) supplemented with 0.5 µg menadione/ml and 5.0 µg hemin/ml.…”