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Drugs Used to Treat Periodontal Disease

Bacteria flourish in the mouth, but healthy gums typically seal it out and help prevent periodontal disease. Unhealthy gums recede and expose nerves to bacteria.

According to dentist Joseph S.Dovgan, periodontal disease occurs when bacteria in the mouth travels into the exposed gums and teeth through the lateral and accessory canals. Once this happens, the damage is done and specialized help is needed. To treat periodontal disease, dentists rely on various medications.

  1. Tetracycline

    • Tetracyclines (tetracycline hydrochloride, doxycycline and minocycline) are commonly used to treat the recession of gums and other problems caused by periodontal disease. They are antibiotics that are used in a wide range of diseases outside of periodontal health. According to the University of Maryland, this family of medications helps reduce inflammation of the gums and surrounding tissue. They also help block a protein called collagenease that destroys tissue and bone. Tetracyclines are usually used in oral doses but doxycycline can also be given as a topical agent to provide more direct treatment.

    Chlorhexidine

    • Chlorhexidine is an antibiotic that helps control the growth of plaque and the worsening of gingivitis. According to the RxList website, chlorhexidine is offered to patients in the form of chips of three different medications: Peridex, PerioChip and PerioGard. These chips can be placed under the gums to deliver doses of antibiotics right on the problem sites. One side effect of chlorhexidine is that it can stain the teeth, tooth filling and dentures.

    Penicillin, Erythromyain and Amoxil

    • Periodontal disease can lead to serious infection or even abscesses beneath the gums and teeth. To treat these infections, strong antibiotics are needed. Some commonly used antibiotics are Amoxil, erythromycin and penicillin. These can be prescribed to be taken orally for a period of time. Often, this is enough to clear up the infection or abscess.

    Carbocaine

    • Carbocaine is a local anesthetic used to prevent pain and discomfort caused by periodontal disease. RxList reports that medications such as Carbocaine are injected into the deeper tissues of the mouth and work by inhibiting pain impulses by numbing the nerves.

    Pain Medication

    • Periodontal disease can be very painful, as can procedures to treat the disease. Some dentists will give their patients pain medication such as codeine or hydrocodone not only after but before a procedure.

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