Sulcular sulfide monitoring: an indicator of early dental plaque-induced gingival disease.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) and gingival health status and to determine if volatile sulfur compounds can detect early dental plaque-induced gingival disease.

Methods: A split-mouth design with randomly selected quadrants of the mandibular arch enabled 39 participants to serve as their own controls. At baseline and at three subsequent appointments (days 7, 14, and 21) gingival inflammation (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), and sulfide levels (SUL) were measured using the Gingival Index and the Diamond Probe/Perio 2000 System.