2019 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 109-113
Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy has been used in clinics to minimize the susceptibility to bacterial resistance in patients with periodontal disease. It has been proven to be effective in treating bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. However, it is hard to ignore the effects of photosensitizers on the body. We investigated the effects of two typical photosensitizers, and assessed the proliferation of human gingival epithelial cells (HGECs) and the production of inflammatory cytokines after treatment with a high‐power, red light‐emitting diode (LED) along with photosensitizers. We found that methylene blue promotes proliferation of HGECs, whereas toluidine blue does not. The production of the inflammatory cytokines from HGECs decreases after LED irradiation. Hence, this study suggests that LED irradiation in the presence of either of the photosensitizers reduces inflammation in dental tissues such as the epithelium of periodontal pockets. (J Osaka Dent Univ 2019; 53: 109‐113)
