Antibiotic Treatment
Antibiotic Treatment
Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that starts in the gums. If left untreated, it can attack your jawbone and lead to tooth loss. The good news is, antibiotics in conjunction with scaling and root planing, surgery or curettage can eliminate the bacteria. In some cases, an antibiotic can remove the infection without any additional treatment.
Both oral and topical gels are an option for antibiotics to treat periodontal disease. Experts have thoroughly researched the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment for gum disease and found it to be very effective.
Your periodontist can prescribe antibiotics either as a low dose that you take long term or as a higher dose that you take during a shorter period to keep bacteria from spreading.
Treating Periodontitis with Oral Antibiotics
Because oral antibiotics affect the whole body instead of just the gums, they are not as popular of a treatment option for treating periodontitis. However, if you and your dentist decide that an oral antibiotic is what’s best for you, there are several options.
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Macrolide: these antibiotics reduce inflammation and treat the type of bacteria that causes periodontitis.
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Metronidazole: your dentist will likely prescribe this in conjunction with amoxicillin or tetracycline. Together, these antibiotics fight inflammation and stop bacterial growth that causes chronic or severe periodontitis.
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Tetracycline: this family of antibiotics includes doxycycline, hydrochloride, minocycline and tetracycline. They are the most common antibiotics dentists use to treat periodontitis because they combat inflammation, kill bacteria and don’t attack or destroy your healthy tissue.
Treating Periodontitis with Topical Antibiotics
Gels and strips deliver antibiotics directly to the affected area to stop inflammation and the spread of the bacteria that causes periodontitis. Because these treatments are so direct in treating what ails you, periodontists tend to favor them over oral antibiotics.
Dr. Guller might prescribe one of these topical antibiotics after performing a scaling and root planing treatment. Here are some of the most common topical antibiotics.
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Actisite®: you’ll apply a thin strip of Actisite® directly to your gums. It contains tetracycline hydrochloride and looks like dental floss. You might use this treatment for up to 10 days to kill bacteria and help reduce the size of the pockets between your gums and teeth.
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Arestin®: your dentist will place these mini capsules of minocycline in your gums follow a scaling and root planing treatment.
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Atridox®: this is a gel that contours to your gums. Once applied, it will solidify on your gums and release doxycycline gradually over several days to treat the infection.
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Elyzol®: you can get this topical treatment as either a gel or strip. It supplies metronidazole, which destroys both oral bacteria and parasites.
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PerioChip®: this small chip is placed in the gums after scaling and root planing. It supplies chlorhexidine to the gums to remove bacteria and reduce deep pockets in the gums.
Your periodontist will recommend antibiotic treatment based on the severity of your periodontitis. It might be part of a larger treatment plan that includes other surgical and non-surgical treatments. Be sure to discuss any drug allergies with your dentist before undergoing treatment.
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