Resumo Este estudo foi realizado para investigar o perfil microbiano e os níveis de endotoxina de lesões endoperiodontais de origem periodontal. Amostras periodontais e endodônticas foram obtidas de bolsas periodontais e canais radiculares necróticos de 10 dentes com lesões endoperiodontais. A investigação de 40 espécies bacterianas diferentes foram determinadas em cada amostra endodôntica e periodontal usando o método de hibridização de DNA-DNA (checkerboard) e o ensaio cinético cromogênico LAL foi usado para quantificação de endotoxinas. O teste exato de Fisher correlacionou as espécies bacterianas com a microbiota endodôntica ou periodontal. Os níveis de endotoxina (EU/mL) encontrados nas amostras do canal radicular e na bolsa periodontal foram comparados pelo teste de Wilcoxon (p<0,05). Bactérias e unidades de LPS foram encontradas em 100% das amostras endodônticas e periodontais. As espécies E. faecium, P. acnes, G. morbillorum, C. sputigena e L. buccalis foram fortemente correlacionadas com a microbiota endodôntica e P. nigrescens com a microbiota periodontal. P. intermedia, P. endodontalis e V. parvula foram mais prevalentes em ambas microbiotas endodôntica e periodontal. Os níveis de endotoxina na bolsa periodontal (89600 EU/mL) foram significativamente maiores do que no canal radicular (2310 EU/mL). Concluiu-se que a microbiota presente nos tecidos periodontal e endodôntico é semelhante, com maior prevalência de espécies do complexo laranja e maior nível de endotoxina nas bolsas periodontais.

Abstract This study was carried out to investigate the microbial profile and endotoxin levels of endodontic-periodontal lesions of periodontal origin. Periodontal and endodontic samples were taken from periodontal pockets and necrotic root canals of 10 teeth with endodontic-periodontal lesions. Evidencing of 40 different bacterial species were determined in each endodontic and periodontal sample using the checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization method and Kinetic chromogenic LAL assay was used for quantification of endotoxins. Fisher’s exact test correlated the bacterial species with the endodontic or periodontal microbiota. The endotoxin levels (EU/mL) found in samples of the root canal and periodontal pocket were compared by the Wilcoxon test (p<0.05). Bacteria and LPS units were found in 100% of the endodontic and periodontal samples. The species E. faecium, P. acnes, G. morbillorum, C. sputigena and L. buccalis were strongly correlated with the endodontic microbiota and P. nigrescens with the periodontal microbiota. P. intermedia, P. endodontalis and V. parvula were more prevalent in both endodontic and periodontal microbiots. The endotoxin levels in the periodontal pocket (89600 EU/mL) were significantly higher than in the root canal (2310 EU/mL). It was concluded that the microbiota present in the periodontal and endodontic tissues is similar, with a higher prevalence of species of the orange complex and a higher level of endotoxin in the periodontal pockets.

The aim of the present study was to radiographically evaluate the effect of smoking on bone loss resulting from chronic periodontitis. Periapical radiographs were analyzed of 80 patients with chronic periodontitis (40 current or former smokers and 40 never-smokers) that attended a private periodontal practice. The smokers or former-smokers with a minimum consumption of 10 cigarettes/day for a period of over 10 years were selected. Interproximal radiographic bone loss was considered as the distance between the cementum-enamel junction and the alveolar bone crest. Bone loss for smokers was higher than that observed in never-smokers (p < 0.05) (3.33 ± 1.09 mm and 2.24 ± 0.76 mm; mean ± standard deviation for smokers and non-smokers, respectively). When each region of the mouth was comparatively evaluated, it was observed that the smokers' incisors presented the highest bone loss when compared with the other groups of teeth (p < 0.01). Within the limits of the present investigation it can be concluded that smoking enhances the bone loss resulting from periodontitis and that the incisors are the teeth most affected.