Periodontal Disease Antibiotic Treatment

There are two types periodontal diseases: gingivitis and periodontitis. Periodontal means "around the tooth," so all periodontal diseases involve the gums. They are caused by bacterial infections of the gums and the resultant problems of those infections.
Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease, but if left untreated it can progress to periodontitis.
There are several types of periodontitis with varying degrees of severity. The most common types are: aggressive, chronic, necrotizing and periodontitis caused by systemic disease.
Antibiotics can be used in conjunction with surgery to treat periodontal diseases or as a treatment by itself.

Types

• Many different types of antibiotics can be used to treat periodontal disease. Both oral and topical antibiotics are used in treating these diseases. Topical antibiotics are preferred because they have fewer side effects than oral antibiotics. Topical antibiotics can be in the form of gel, tiny capsules, a chip or strips. They can be applied onto the gums or under them.

Function

• Antibiotics treat the bacterial infection that caused the periodontal disease to begin with. They also offer protection for patients with heart disease who have dental surgery. The antibiotic acts to prevent infections in the cardiovascular systems of these patients. Antibiotics can also help prevent further infection in the gums, especially topical treatments that remain in the mouth for a period of time and release low doses of medicine over that period. Antibiotics can also ameliorate some inflammation, thereby lessening further damage to the gingival tissue.

Forms

• Commonly used oral antibiotics include: tetracycline hydrochloride, doxycycline, minocycline, macrolide, quinolone, and metronidazole.
  Commonly used topical antibiotics include many of the same ingredients as the oral antibiotics: doxycycline, minocycline, and metronidazole.
  These antibiotics offer other protection against periodontal disease as well. Some of them provide anti-inflammatory relief while others offer protection against the protein that causes the breakdown of connective tissues and bones.

Benefits

• Antibiotic use in treating periodontal disease is showing effective results. Reduced inflammation, swelling, presence of bacteria and regeneration or preservation of connective tissue have all been produced by oral or topical use of antibiotics. Sometimes surgery or cleaning beneath the gums is needed in addition to antibiotics to produce greater results in saving and restoring gum tissue.

Warning

• The long-term use of antibiotics may increase the risk of bacterial resistance to these drugs. This can pose problems not just for the treatment of periodontal disease but for any other illness that the individual needs antibiotics for.
  Also, antibiotics may not be successfully treat some cases of periodontal disease, so a combination of surgery and antibiotic treatment may be required later.