Development of a point-of-care-device for fast detection of periodontal pathogens

Background A number of pathogens can cause severe destruction of the periodontal apparatus during the course of periodontitis. The aim of this work was the development of a diagnostic device for the use at the point-of-need for the detection of periodontal pathogens to enable a personalized therapy for treatment of periodontitis. Methods This test system is based on the polymerase chain reaction of DNA isolated from periodontal pathogens and was examined to precisely detect species-specific sequences on a rotating chip with lyophilized reagents for polymerase chain reaction. The preservation of the reagents was optimized to ensure their stability during the storage. Results In the current work, we have developed a model point-of-care device and showed a proof of concept. It requires low sample volume, is timesaving and can therefore facilitate early diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases. Conclusions The developed device can provide fast diagnosis of the composition and amount of patients’ oral flora and might help to assess the stage of periodontitis infection. This can facilitate an optimization of therapeutic approaches in order to prevent some of the more serious consequences of the disease.