Treatment of HIV-associated periodontal diseases

Three presentations of periodontal disease are associated with HIV infection: necrotising periodontal disease; forms of atypical gingivitis and exacerbated attachment loss. Necrotising disease resembling aggressive acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis and is the most acute and painful of these. Response to treatment by debridement of lesions, irrigation with aqueous chlorhexidine solution and oral metronidazole 200 mg, tds is almost diagnostic of the condition. Affected individuals are prone to relapse. Prevention by meticulous home care and frequent hygiene recalls is advised. The forms of atypical gingivitis are classically not plaque related. This means that persistence of gingivitis in the absence of plaque is required to establish the diagnosis. There is a consensus that these diseases are related to candidiasis. Treatment with antifungals may be contraindicated due to the emergence of resistant strains of Candida spp. Exacerbated attachment loss may be the legacy of repeated episodes of necrotic disease or may be due to accelerated periodontitis. In either event the principles of treatment are to encourage and facilitate plaque removal.