Date: Fri 23-Apr-1999
Date: Fri 23-Apr-1999
Publication: Hea
Author: DONNAG
Quick Words:
antibiotics-periodontal
Full Text:
HEALTH MONITOR: Can Antibiotics Inhibit Peridontal Disease?
FARMINGTON -- A researcher at the University of Connecticut School of Dental
Medicine is investigating whether two different applications of antibiotics
may help patients with periodontal disease.
The researcher, John W. Dean III, DDS, PhD, is an associate professor in the
UConn dental school Department of Periodontology. His investigations are part
of a pair of national studies.
Peridontal disease is a progressive disease affecting the gums and the
jawbone. If left untreated, periodontal disease will eventually cause the
teeth to be lost. Treatment involves deep cleaning or root planing by a
professional, and regular flossing and brushing of the teeth and gums
thereafter. The first of Dr Dean's investigations is helping to determine if a
small dose of antibiotics may inhibit the production of an enzyme that
contributes to periodontal disease. Bacteria in the mouth promote the body's
production of collagenase, an enzyme that breaks down collagen -- an insoluble
fibrous protein found in connective tissue. Collagen allows the gums and jaw
bone to hold the teeth.
Low doses of the antibiotic doxycycline -- marketed commercially as Periostat
-- prevent the bacteria from promoting the production of collagenase, even as
the dose is too low to adversely affect the body's good bacterial flora.
"The idea isn't to replace deep cleaning or periodontal surgery with
Periostat," Dr Dean said, "but to use it as an adjunct to traditional
treatments." Thirty-five patients are involved in Dr Dean's investigation with
Periostat, which will run for nine months. Early indications are that the
treatment may be effective. There are about three months left in the trial.
Dr Dean's second investigation involves the effect of local antibiotics on
periodontal disease. The idea behind the investigation is to apply a high dose
of antibiotic -- in this case Minocycline -- after the teeth and gums have
been deep cleaned, to keep the bacteria that contributes to periodontal
disease from repopulating the area.
Applying the drug locally minimizes the systemic effect of the antibiotics. Dr
Dean said some antibiotic will enter the bloodstream, but the amount is too
low to have any undesirable side affects.
Like the use of Periostat, this therapy too, is seen as an adjunct to the
standard therapy of deep cleaning and root scaling. But it does hold out to
periodontists the prospect of yet another tool with which to fight periodontal
disease. Dr Dean added both therapies being investigated could be important
for people with periodontal disease who have bleeding disorders, or
compromised or suppressed immune systems and who might not be good candidates
for regular therapy.
The Minocycline investigation started in December and involves 25 volunteers.
The UConn dental school is one of six participating in the Periostat study.
The other include Pittsburgh, Minnesota, New York University, Boston
University and Ohio State.
UConn dental school is one of four participating in the Minocycline study. The
others are: Maryland, Wake Forest and Nebraska.