A study on the frequency of buccal cavity protozoa in patients with periodontitis and gingivitis in Ahvaz, southwest of Iran in 2009

Entamoeba gingivalis and Trichomonas tenax are protozoans that live in/on the teeth, gums and sometimes tonsils, and may cause periodontitis and gingivitis. The aim of this research was studying the frequency of buccal protozoa in patients referred to dentistry clinics of Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. Methods and Materials: In this cross-sectional study, samples were collected from the mouth of 200 patients with gingivitis and periodontitis referred to university dental clinics using swabs and placed in sterile normal saline and examined with wet mount, fixed smears stained with Giemsa and cultured in Dorset medium. A questionnaire was filled for each patient.

120 out of 200 cases were female (60%) and 80 were male (40%). The age range of patients was between 20-60 years. 45.8% of females and 52.5% of males were brushing the teeth every day, while 54.2% of females and 47.5% of males were brushing once every 2-3 weeks and only 7 patients were using floss daily. From the males 52.5% were smokers and 3 cases were diabetics. Only one male case (0.5%) was infected with Entamoeba gingivalis and no case of Trichomonas tenax was detected. In 160 (80%) cases yeast was detected in direct smears and culture.

The results of this study indicated that the frequency of buccal protozoa in this region is low and the cause of periodontitis and gingivitis might be yeast.