Chairside clinicomicrobiological assessment of subgingival boric acid irrigation in periodontitis patients: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Elemental boron has a positive role in many functions in the human body, such as immune regulation, wound healing, bone health maintenance, etc. A boron-containing molecule (AN0128) has shown additional antimicrobial properties against virulent red-complex bacteria. However, there is a dearth of human trials evaluating the effectiveness of readily available boronic compounds in periodontitis patients. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six patients with generalized periodontitis were included in this double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial. Following scaling and root planing at baseline, each designated test site in the 18 treatment group subjects received subgingival 0.75% boric acid, whereas the remaining 18 subjects received placebo irrigation at the control site. At the 6 th week recall, test/control irrigations were repeated as per the group assigned. Clinical parameters were recorded at baseline, 6 th week and 12 th week, whereas chairside microbial assessment using benzoyl-DL-arginine-2-napthylamide (BANA) was done at baseline and 12 th week. Results: Comparatively, the test group demonstrated significant improvements ( P < 0.05) in terms of the gingival index, bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) at the 12 th week. Improved mean BOP, PPD, and CAL differences were highly significant ( P < 0.005) for the test group at the 6 th week. Microbial assessment using the BANA test did not observe a significant intergroup difference following therapy. Conclusion: Outcomes of the present trial demonstrated boron’s significant role in clinical improvements. Adjunctive subgingival boric acid irrigation can be effective in healing following phase-I therapy.