The purpose of the present study was to determine whether human gingival blood flow was different according to measuring area, measuring time, and sex or not. Forty volunteers with good general and periodontal health, aged early twenties and unmarried, were selected. Laser Doppler flowmetry(floLAB®, Moor Instruments Ltd., England) was applied to measure the gingival blood flow of marginal gingiva, interdental papilla, attached gingiva and alveolar mucosa. The blood flow of interdental papilla was measured at 9-10 AM, 1-2 PM, and 5-6 PM. The difference of blood flow according to measuring area and measuring time was statistically analyzed by one way ANOVA and Dunkan test, and the difference of blood flow between men and women was statistically analyzed by t-test. (1) Mean blood flow was significantly higher in alveolar mucosa than in the gingiva(p<0.05), and there was no significant difference in blood flow between marginal gingiva and interdental papilla(p>0.1). (2) Mean blood flow was significantly higher at 5-6 PM than at 9-10 AM and 1-2 PM(p<0.05). But there was no significant difference in gingival blood flow between 9-10 AM and 1-2 PM(p>0.1). (3) There was no significant difference in gingival blood flow between men and women(p>0.1).

The above results suggest that the measurment of gingival blood flow using laser Doppler flowmetry may be clinically applicable to early determination of gingival inflammation and evaluation of healing status, but further studies are necessary to standardize and simplify the measuring procedure.