METHODS: This parallel-group, randomized, open label clinical trial enrolled 273 Indigenous Australians aged ≥18 years with periodontitis. Intervention participants received full-mouth periodontal scaling and root planing during a single visit while the control group received no treatment. Endpoints were summary variables derived from clinical assessments of probing depth, clinical attachment loss, plaque, calculus and gingival bleeding before treatment and 3 months later.
RESULTS: Endpoints could be calculated for 169 participants with follow-up data. Compared to the control group, there were statistically significant reductions in extent of shallow pockets: PD ≥4 mm (mean difference -2.86, [95% CI -5.01 to -0.71], p = 0.009) and gingival bleeding (mean difference -0.25, [95% CI -0.43 to -0.08], p = 0.005) but not deeper pockets PD ≥5 mm (mean difference -0.48, [95% CI -1.78 to 0.82], p = 0.468) or plaque scores.
CONCLUSIONS: Periodontal therapy produced improvements in shallow periodontal pockets and measures of gingival bleeding in these Indigenous Australians.