Alternative Approaches to Antibiotics in Dentistry: Probiotics, Antimicrobial Peptides in Periodontal Disease

Background: A common oral health issue, periodontal disease is characterized by inflammation and eventual tooth loss of the periodontal tissues and bone that surround and support each tooth. Probiotics and antimicrobial peptides have emerged as potential adjunctive therapies due to their ability to modulate the oral microbiota and combat pathogenic bacteria. Materials and Methods: Patients with periodontitis were the subjects of a randomised controlled experiment. Two groups of participants were formed: one receiving probiotics and the other receiving antimicrobial peptides, in addition to standard periodontal treatment. Clinical parameters, such as clinical attachment level (CAL) and probing pocket depth (PPD), were measured before and after six months of therapy. Results: Both probiotics and antimicrobial peptides demonstrated significant improvements in PPD and CAL compared to baseline values. In the probiotics group, mean PPD decreased from 5.6 ± 0.8 to 3.2 ± 0.6 mm, while CAL improved from 6.8 ± 1.2 to 4.5 ± 0.9 mm. Similarly, in the antimicrobial peptides group, mean PPD decreased from 5.8 ± 0.7 to 3.1 ± 0.5 mm, and CAL improved from 7.0 ± 1.0 to 4.4 ± 0.8 mm. Conclusion: Both probiotics and antimicrobial peptides show promise as adjunctive therapies in the management of chronic periodontitis. Their use alongside standard periodontal treatment leads to significant improvements in clinical parameters, suggesting their potential efficacy in combating periodontal disease. Further research is warranted to explore their long-term effects and optimal dosage regimens.