Digital Quantitative Analysis of the Relationship Between Periodontitis and Porphyromonas gingivalis

Abstract

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) constitutes an essential part of the subgingival dental plaque biofilm, serving as a significant factor in the development of periodontitis. Therefore, establishing a rapid and highly sensitive detection method for P. gingivalis is crucial to effectively manage periodontitis and its associated complications. In this study, droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) technology was employed for the detection of P. gingivalis, with a detection limit of 101 CFU/mL, exhibiting a 10-fold higher sensitivity compared to qPCR (with a sensitivity of 102 CFU/mL). Furthermore, no cross-reactivity was observed with four other bacterial species. In comparison to real-time quantitative PCR, ddPCR demonstrated enhanced sensitivity in detecting P. gingivalis at lower concentrations in 16 simulated samples, indicating its applicability for rapid detection of P. gingivalis.