If your dentist has noticed a more advanced case of periodontal disease in your mouth, then you may be asked to consider several different treatment options. These treatments will often include the completion of root scaling and planing, but there are some medicines that may be provided as well. If you want to learn a bit more about the types of medicines and medication treatments that are available, keep reading.
Topical Antimicrobials
You likely already understand that the real issue with periodontal disease is the bacteria that multiplies in your mouth and infects the tissues. Killing the bacteria around the gum tissues is imperative when it comes to treating periodontal disease. This sometimes means placing antibiotic medication just underneath the gum line, and this is best completed after a root planing or scaling.
The antimicrobial agents are slipped into the open gum pockets and the loose tissues that sit around the teeth. As the medicines work to kill the bacteria, the gingiva tissues start to heal and connect in a tighter and stronger fashion to the dental roots.
Topical antimicrobials are only effective when used in conjunction with a deep cleaning treatment. This is one reason why you are likely to receive the treatment only once. However, you may be provided with a prescription rinse as well. Chlorhexidine is the name of the rinse, and it is often provided for a few weeks. Afterwards, you should be able to complete a general cleaning regimen to successfully keep infection at bay.
Oral Antibiotics
If your periodontitis is severe enough, then there is a chance that your dental professional will actually want to pull back the gums to gain direct access to dead tissues that sit deep underneath the exposed ones. In this situation, the gums can be packed with gauze soaked in strong antibacterial medication. The gauze is removed a day or two after placement and then you are provided with an oral antibiotic.
While oral antibiotics are sometimes provided in addition to the gum packing treatments, they may also be offered instead of the gum packing. This allows the medicine to kill bacteria that are too deep for the dentist to reach or for situations where the infection is severe or if a secondary infection, like one that affects the heart is possible. Like many of the other treatments, antibiotics can only be prescribed for a short time.
If you want to know more about the types of medicines that are available to treat your periodontal disease, speak with a periodontist.
