[Exfoliative cytology of the periodontium]

Under certain conditions (reproducibility of the results, standardization of the sampling sites and of the procedure of staining), the exfoliative cytology can facilitate the primary and secondary prevention of periodontal diseases. The reproducibility of the counts was tested on 114 smears by repeated determinations and confirmed by statistical analysis. The comparison of the counts from smears from the vestibular papilla 32/33 and the lingual papilla 36/37 showed that the molar region is better suited for the early detection of periodontal lesions. Due to the greater reproducibility of its results, the technique of Shorr and Pundel is recommended for the fixation and staining of the exfoliated cells. The differentiation of the superficial cells should also be based on the affinity for dyes of the cytoplasm.