title: Influence of oral hygiene on elastase concentration of gingival crevicular fluid.
abstract: PMN elastase concentration of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was investigated in 11 healthy volunteers before professional tooth cleaning and after a 5-week period of intensive oral hygiene. GCF was collected using filter paper strips and the enzyme concentration was evaluated by the ELISA-technique. Intensive daily oral hygiene led to a considerable improvement in the clinical indices and to a reduction in the concentration of elastase in GCF. Despite the changes in the oral hygiene status, functional elastase was still present in the samples at the end of the experiment. This could mean that even at clinically healthy sites there is a lack of alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor, the major serum protein inactivating PMN elastase.
authors.affiliation: Policlinic of Oral Surgery and Periodontics, School of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Tuebingen, F.R.G.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meyle
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brecx
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Heller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000201:enzymology*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase