Influence of Experimental Periodontitis on Periodontal Tissues and Penis of Rats
Stefany Pedrotti, Viviane Pontillo, Patricia Oehlmeyer Nassar, Karine Figueredo da Costa, Celia Cristina Leme Beu, Carlos Augusto Nassar

Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effect of experimental periodontitis on rat penis. Eighteen Wistar rats underwent the placement of a cotton ligature around the first molars to induce periodontitis. It was confirmed that periodontitis was induced in the group with ligature due to the greater number of osteoclasts, decreased osteocytes, greater distance from the cementoenamel junction to the alveolar crest, increase in gingival swelling (p <0.05) and intense bone resorption. Furthermore, there was a higher average concentration of IL-6 in the gingival samples and of TNF- α in the penile samples of the rats with ligature (p <0.05). There was a statistically significant thicker and smaller area of the dorsal penile arteries in the experimental group, as well as a smaller area of the vascular spaces of the corpora cavernosa (p<0.05). Therefore, the systemic inflammation caused by periodontal disease can be an important risk factor for erectile dysfunction.

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