The Impact of Antiparasitic Therapy on the Dynamics of Inflammatory Periodontal Diseases in Patients with Chronic Intestinal Parasitoses

Introduction: Chronic inflammatory periodontal diseases remain one of the most significant challenges in modern dentistry, affecting a substantial portion of the adult population worldwide. According to systematic reviews, the prevalence of moderate periodontitis reaches 45-50%, while severe forms affect 11-15% of the population, ranking this pathology as the sixth most prevalent condition globally. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the effect of antiparasitic therapy on the periodontal status of 80 patients with chronic intestinal parasitoses. The study group comprised 40 patients with verified giardiasis or enterobiasis, while the control group consisted of 40 patients without parasitic infections. Assessments were performed before treatment and at 1, 3, and 6 months post-therapy. Standard periodontal indices (PBI, OHI-S, CPI) and laboratory methods (CRP, ferritin, vitamin B12, eosinophils) were employed. Results: The results demonstrated that patients with intestinal parasitoses initially exhibited statistically significant higher markers of periodontal inflammation: PBI index 3.8±0.4 points versus 2.1±0.3 points in controls (P<0.001), probing pocket depth 4.2±0.6 mm versus 3.1±0.4 mm (P<0.001). The level of systemic inflammation was significantly elevated: C-reactive protein 8.2±1.5 mg/L versus 3.1±0.8 mg/L (P<0.001). Following antiparasitic therapy, the study group showed substantial improvement across all evaluated parameters. After 6 months of treatment, reductions were achieved in PBI index to 1.9±0.3 points, probing pocket depth to 3.0±0.4 mm, and C-reactive protein level to 3.4±0.7 mg/L. A strong correlation was identified between the decrease in C-reactive protein levels and improvement in PBI index (r=0.82, P<0.001). Conclusion: The obtained data provide compelling evidence that successful antiparasitic therapy promotes statistically significant and clinically relevant improvement in periodontal health among patients with intestinal parasitoses.