Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40438085›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in oral health2025

A retrospective study on the impact of different antibiotic regimens in non-surgical periodontal therapy on microbial loads and therapy outcomes.

Nils Werner, Vinay Pitchika, Katrin Heck, Christina Ern, Richard Heym, Ali Al-Ahmad, Fabian Cieplik, Falk Schwendicke, Caspar Victor Bumm, Matthias Folwaczny

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in oral health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Nils WernerDepartment of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Vinay PitchikaDepartment of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Katrin HeckDepartment of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Christina ErnDepartment of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Richard HeymDepartment of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Ali Al-AhmadDepartment of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center & Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Fabian CieplikDepartment of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center & Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Falk SchwendickeDepartment of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Caspar Victor Bumm *Department of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Matthias Folwaczny *Department of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to analyse the impact of different antibiotic regimens during non-surgical periodontal therapy on the microbial load of selected periodontitis-associated bacteria (PAB) and the primary therapy outcomes. Methods: For this aim, 259 patients received steps I and II of periodontal therapy and were included in this clinical trial. 202 patients were treated without the adjunctive use of systemic antibiotics, 18 received amoxicillin (AMOX) as well as metronidazole (MET) and 39 only MET. Subgingival biofilm samples were quantitatively analysed for selected PAB using DNA-DNA-hybridisation-based detection assays for microbial loads of PAB before and 6 months after treatment. Changes in the microbial load of PAB and achievement of a "treat-to-target" endpoint (T2T) (≤4 sites with probing depth ≥5 mm) were analysed. Patients' subgingival microbial load was significantly reduced following therapy. Results: 38.2% of the patients achieved T2T. Binary logistic regression adjusted for confounders indicated a relationship between residual PAB levels and not achieving T2T. In patients not receiving systemic antibiotics a 2.4-fold increased risk of not reaching T2T after steps I and II therapy was observed (none vs. MET aOR = 2.38 Discussion: Microbial loads of PAB were found directly associated with periodontal status. As antibiotic treatment with both MET and MET + AMOX similarly reduced microbial loads of PAB, treatment with MET alone may be sufficiently effective as adjunctive to non-surgical periodontal treatment. To confirm this, further prospective studies with bigger sample size are needed.

Indexed as

antibiotic resistanceantibioticsperiodontal bacteriaperiodontal therapyperiodontitis

Identifiers

PMID40438085
PMCPMC12116549

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.