Veterinary Dental Photobiomodulation: Assessing Post-Treatment Gingival Inflammation in Canines

This research aims to determine the effect photobiomodulation treatment has on oral inflammation after routine dental prophylaxis in canines. Photobiomodulation therapy after dental procedures has been documented to reduce inflammation in human and animal models. Canines were randomly assigned into three groups: control group (CG; n = 15), left side treated group (LTG; n = 15), and right side treated group (RTG; n = 15). The canines in the treatment groups received four points of irradiation [GaAlInP-650 nm, continuous wave (CW), 0.1 W, 0.2 W/cm², 100 sec, 10 J, 20 J/cm²]. The gingiva was evaluated by a veterinary investigator blinded to the treatment groups for erythema and edema on the day following treatment. Student's t-test and Student's paired t-test were used for data analysis. Reductions in composite inflammation (p = 0.008) and erythema (p = 0.030) were observed in the LTG relative to the CG at the location of the left dental arcade. Reductions in composite inflammation (p = 0.025) and erythema (p = 0.013) were also observed in the combined treated arcades of the LTG and RTG when compared to the CG. The results indicate that the canines who received a single photobiomodulation treatment on the left dental arcade demonstrated a decrease in inflammation and erythema.