Effect of supragingival plaque control on recurrent periodontitis and clinical stability among individuals under periodontal maintenance therapy: 10‐year follow‐up

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BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of supragingival plaque control on the recurrence of periodontitis (RP) and the achievement of a stable periodontal clinical endpoint after 10 years of periodontal maintenance therapy (PMT). METHODS: The present retrospective cohort study included 225 individuals in continuous PMT. The plaque index (PI) determining the oral hygiene (OH) status, periodontal clinical parameters, and other variables of interest were collected at three time points: T1 (prior to active periodontal therapy [APT]), T2 (after APT), and T3 (10 years after T2). According to PI records at T3, participants were categorized into: (1) good OH (GOH; PI ≤ 30%, n = 63); (2) fair OH (FOH; PI > 30% and ≤40%, n = 73); and (3) poor OH (POH; PI > 40%, n = 88). Data were analyzed using the chi-square and Student t tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and mediation and regression analyses. RESULTS: Significant differences in all periodontal clinical parameters between the GOH, FOH, and POH groups were observed at T3. The POH group exhibited higher mean bleeding on probing (BOP), periodontal probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL), as well as higher tooth loss (POH > FOH > GOH; P < .001). There was an increased risk for RP in the FOH (odds ratio [OR] 2.02; CI, 1.10-4.38) and POH (OR 4.33; CI, 2.17-8.65) groups. Moreover, the FOH and POH groups had an approximately 2.5 and 6.0 times greater chance of not achieving a stable periodontal clinical endpoint, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: After 10 years of monitoring in PMT, individuals with higher PI scores (>30%) presented an unhealthier periodontal status, a higher risk for RP, and a lower chance of achieving ≤4 sites with PD ≥ 5 mm.