title: The influence of puberty on spirochetal numbers assessed by dark field microscopy: a pilot study.
abstract: There seems to be a difference in the susceptibility, prevalence and severity of periodontal disease between children and adults. These differences could be due to; composition of plaque, host response or tissue alterations occurring with age. One of the micro-organisms suspected to play a role in the initiation of periodontal disease is the spirochete. A quick and simple way to observe spirochetes is via dark-field microscopy. The present study sample subgingival plaque from the crevices of 6 prepubertal and 6 postpubertal children and observed it under darkfield microscopy. The technique did not involve dispersion. The results showed a higher percentage of spirochetes for the postpubertal group (15.19% in the prepubertal and 21.62% in the postpubertal) but statistical analysis failed to show any significant difference. The small size of the sample, the variety in the technique and the clinical measurements influence the result.
authors.affiliation: Bristol Dental School and Hospital, England.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zissopoulos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Midda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D011627:Puberty; D013144:Spirochaetales / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013145:Spirochaetales Infections / Q000382:microbiology