Abstract

To determine the effect of folic acid supplementation on gingival healing after oral hygiene therapy, eight teeth (#3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14) of sixteen human subjects with moderate levels of gingival irritation were studied. Clinical parameters included measurement of gingival fluid, pocket depth, bleeding upon probing, and plaque. Serum and red blood cell folic acid levels were determined using radioimmunoassay (RIA). Based on clinical parameters and serum folate levels, two similarly matched groups were established. The teeth were scaled and polished. Brushing and flossing instructions were given.

After one week of oral hygiene therapy alone, the experimental group was started on two milligrams of folic acid twice daily and controls were given matching placebos. At each of the weekly examinations all clinical parameters were measured and oral hygiene reinstruction was given as needed. On the final examination, day 28, serum and red blood cell folic acid levels were again assayed.

All subjects exhibited decreases in all clinical parameters and there were no significant differences in changes between the groups during the period of folic acid supplementation. The control group showed accelerated healing based on gingival fluid measurements, compared to the experimental group during the period of oral hygiene therapy alone. The experimental group showed a significantly greater increase in serum and red blood cell folate levels than the controls at day 28.

In this study folic acid was not found to exert an influence on gingival healing when used in conjunction with oral hygiene therapy. It may be that oral hygiene techniques facilitate more pronounced healing and any effect of folic acid on changes in epithelial permeability, as measured by gingival fluid, are masked when these treatment methods are combined.

As a result of this investigation it is concluded that further research incorporating oral hygiene therapy with folic acid supplementation is needed to clarify the results.

LLU Discipline

Nutrition

Department

Nutrition

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

U. D. Register

Second Advisor

Jan Egelberg

Third Advisor

Lee S. Berk

Fourth Advisor

Grenith J. Zimmerman

Fifth Advisor

James Blankenship

Sixth Advisor

Ella Haddad

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1981

Date (Title Page)

4-1981

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Gingiva; Folic Acid

Type

Thesis

Page Count

iii; 15

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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