Relationship of methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulfide levels with tannerella forsythia quantity in periodontitis patients with halitosis and diabetes mellitus

Objective: Halitosis may be caused by several factors, including various types of food, periodontal diseases, layer of tongue bacteria, and systemic disorders such as diabetes mellitus (DM), which is a chronic disease that affects the health of periodontal tissue. The present study aimed to assess the association between the quantity of Tannerella forsythia bacteria and the levels of methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulfide in periodontitis patients with type 2 DM (T2DM). Methods: Gingival crevicular fluids (GCF) were collected from 20 patients who were divided into those with periodontitis and who were normoglycemic (n=8); those with periodontitis and T2DM (n=8); and healthy controls (n=4). The patients underwent intraoral periodontal tissue examination, including pocket depth, attachment loss, plaque index, calculus index, and papilla bleeding index. The quantity of T. forsythia bacteria was evaluated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. The relationship between the number of T. forsythia bacteria and the levels of methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulfide in the patients was analyzed by Spearman’s correlative tests. Results: There is a weak and non-significant correlation (p>0.05) between the levels of methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulfide and the quantity of T. forsythia in the GCF and tongue coating of periodontitis patients with halitosis regardless of the presence of T2DM. Conclusion: This study suggests no significant relationship between the levels of methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulfide and the quantity of T. forsythia in periodontitis patients with halitosis and DM.