Adjunctive low-level laser therapy improves gingival inflammatory clinical indices, thermographic findings, and systemic cytokines in cats with American Veterinary Dental College stage 1 to 2 periodontal disease.

Adjunctive LLLT, especially combined with chlorhexidine, significantly reduces gingival inflammation and systemic cytokines in cats with early periodontal disease.

This randomized controlled trial investigated the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) using a 905-nm gallium arsenide device, either alone or combined with chlorhexidine (CLX), compared to CLX alone in cats with AVDC stage 1–2 periodontal disease following full-mouth scaling. Twenty-one cats were equally divided into three treatment groups (n=7/group) receiving 7-day protocols of CLX spray, LLLT, or CLX+LLLT. Primary outcomes assessed included probing pocket depth (PPD), gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), and gingival surface temperature via thermography. Secondary outcomes included plasma concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 measured on days 0 and 8. Results demonstrated that LLLT-treated groups achieved substantially greater reductions in PPD (1.24 mm LLLT; 1.20 mm CLX+LLLT) compared to CLX alone (0.27 mm). Gingival and plaque indices declined across all groups, with more pronounced improvements in LLLT-treated cats. Thermographic evaluation revealed meaningful gingival temperature reductions only in LLLT (-3.1°C) and CLX+LLLT (-4.3°C) groups, suggesting measurable anti-inflammatory effects. Systemically, TNF-α and IL-6 decreased only in the CLX+LLLT group, while IL-1β changes were minimal across all groups. The combination of CLX and LLLT produced the most comprehensive improvements across clinical, thermographic, and systemic inflammatory parameters. The study supports LLLT as a safe, effective short-term adjunctive therapy for managing early-stage feline periodontal disease post-professional dental cleaning, though the small group size limits generalizability.

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