Thermography as a method for the evaluation of periodontal disease in cats

This study aimed to establish the range of temperature of cats' gums based on gingival index (GI) degrees, and to detect temperature variations using a thermal camera.The study was performed on 50 cats (22 female and 28 male).Their body weights were between 2 and 6 kg (3.580.87),and ages between 1 and 5 years (2.051.22).The gingival temperatures of three different anatomical regions (Free Gingiva (FG), Attached Gingiva (AG), Alveolar Mucosa (AM)) and disease grades were recorded, determined according to three different GI systems.There was a significant temperature difference (r) in the maxilla between cats with grade 0 GI and cats with grade 1 GI, which was observed in the FG (0.86C, P<0.05) but not in the AG (0.66C, P>0.05) and AM (0.47C, P>0.05).Notably, a significant decrease was observed in FG among these regions.In the mandible, significant temperature changes were observed among the groups in the FG (GI0-GI1 0.93C, GI1-GI2 2.15C, GI0-GI2 1.22C; P=0.001), AG (GI0-GI1 0.78C, GI1-GI2 -2.02C; P=0.002), and AM (GI0-GI1 0.41C, GI1-GI2 -1.89C, GI0-GI2 -1.48C; P=0.002) regions as the severity of GI increased.In conclusion, in light of the findings obtained in this study, it was concluded that a thermal camera may be an effective preliminary diagnostic tool that provides a more objective evaluation compared to GI systems in determining the inflammatory picture of gingival inflammation in cats.