Background: To evaluate the effectiveness of subgingival irrigation with 10% povidone-iodine as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) and to assess the effectiveness of 10% povidone-iodine in reducing periodontal pathogens mainly Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa).
Methodology: Sixty patients with chronic periodontitis of mild to moderate type with periodontal pocket depths (PDs) of 4-6 mm were recruited. At baseline, plaque index, gingival index, and bleeding index were assessed. The PD and clinical attachment level were assessed using the Florida probe®. Pooled subgingival plaque samples were collected. Each participant was allocated into 2 arches, maxillary arch received SRP alone and mandibular arch received SRP with 10% of povidone-iodine irrigation at baseline. After 3 months, same clinical parameters were assessed and plaque samples were collected from both arches. The collected plaque samples were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 10 and through independent-samples t-test, paired-samples t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA.
Results: At 3 months posttreatment, subgingival irrigation with povidone-iodine together with SRP showed a statistically significant reduction in all the clinical parameters and in levels of Pg and Aa.
Conclusion: In the present study, 10% povidone-iodine irrigation as an adjunct to SRP favored the nonsurgical periodontal therapy, due to its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Hence, it could be considered as an adjunctive treatment approach in the treatment of chronic periodontitis.