Arginine and glutamate levels in the gingival crevicular fluid from patients with chronic periodontitis.

The objectives of this study were to determine arginine and glutamate levels in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of adult chronic periodontitis patients versus periodontally healthy controls, and to compare two kinds of microdialysis probes: normal and U-shaped probes. The analysis of GCF components was developed to improve the diagnosis of periodontal disease (PD). Proteolysis in the periodontal tissues increases the concentration of amino acids (aa) in the GCF and the levels of these aa may reveal PD features and stages.