Fig. 3: Alveolar bone loss is significantly abrogated with nisin or nisin-producing probiotic treatment.

A Representative images of alveolar bone loss on the palatal surfaces of maxillary molars in six groups (Control, Infection, Infection + nisin (L), Infection + nisin (H), Infection + L. lactis and Infection + Non-nisin L. lactis). Scale bar represents 0.2 mm. B The graph represents alveolar bone loss in all ten groups. Data represent the means ± standard deviation from six mice per group. For each mouse, alveolar bone loss was calculated as the average from 28 sites (3 sites on the first molar, 2 sites on the second molar, and 2 sites on the third molar, on both sides of the left maxilla and mandible). Statistical significance was determined using Student’s t-test between two independent groups. The difference in variance with a p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. (a) The difference in alveolar bone loss was significant (p < 0.05) compared to the Control group. (b) The difference in alveolar bone loss was significant (p < 0.05) compared to the Infection group. *, the difference in alveolar bone loss between the two groups was significant (p < 0.05). C The percentage of intrabony defects was calculated as the number of tooth surfaces containing periodontal intrabony defects out of total tooth surfaces. For each group, there were a total of 72 tooth surfaces (6 mice, 36 molars, 72 sides (buccal, palatal/lingual)). A chi-square test was used for analysis of the percentage of intrabony defects, the difference in variance with a p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. (a) The difference in the percentage of intrabony defect was significant (p < 0.05) compared to the Control group. (b) The difference in the percentage of intrabony defect was significant (p < 0.05) compared to the Infection group. (c) There was no significant difference in the percentage of intrabony defect between the Infection + L. lactis group and Infection + non-nisin L. lactis group (p > 0.05).