Abstract

Aim: To evaluate and compare plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels in patients with chronic periodontitis before and after nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT), and to assess the potential impact of periodontal treatment on systemic Hcy concentrations.

Material and methods: This study involved 100 participants divided equally into two groups: 50 patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis (test group) and 50 periodontally healthy individuals (control group). Inclusion criteria for the control group included probing depths ≤3 mm without attachment loss, while chronic periodontitis patients were aged 20–60 years, had at least 20 teeth, moderate-to-severe periodontitis (as per 1999 AAP guidelines), and at least four sites with ≥3 mm attachment loss. Data analysis was carried out using SPSSsoftware. Intergroup comparisons were done using the Mann–Whitney U-test, intragroup changes by Wilcoxon matched pairs test, and correlations through Spearman’s rank correlation method P <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant for all analyses.

Results: In the test group, 30% were males (15 participants) and 70% were females (35 participants), whereas in the control group, 40% were males (20 participants) and 60% were females (30 participants). Overall, the study included 35 males and 65 females, totaling 100 participants.

Conclusion: Nonsurgical periodontal therapy lowers plasma homocysteine levels in chronic periodontitis patients, though not to healthy levels, indicating its potential as an adjunctive approach to reduce cardiovascular risk through improved oral health.