New Tactic For Fighting Periodontal Disease

Together with traditional treatment, a new antibiotic solution improved outcomes for periodontitis, a leading cause of tooth loss in the United States.

Chronic periodontitis is caused by build up of bacteria on teeth under the gums. Left untreated, pockets form around teeth and bone is lost, which can cause teeth to become loose and fall out. In a clinical trial, conducted at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington and six other sites in the United States, researchers looked at the effectiveness of Arestin, the first locally administered time-release encapsulated form of minocycline HC1, an antibiotic currently used by dentists in treating periodontal disease.

The solution is administered directly into the infected pockets between the teeth after root planing. The combined treatment of Arestin and root planing helped reduce the infected pockets by encouraging gum growth and consequently preventing disease progression, according to principal investigator Dr John W. Dean, associate clinical professor in the Department of Periodontology at UConn School of Dental Medicine.

A total of 173 patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontal disease participated in the study. Patients received full-mouth scaling and root planing, and the topical solution. At three- and six-month follow-ups, the patients were treated with the antibiotic solution again. At the nine- and 12-month visits there were no antibiotic treatments. According to Dr Dean, significant improvements were evident even at the 12-month visit. “This added treatment may offer a better outcome for millions of people affected by this disease,” he said.

The study was recently published in the dental journal Compendium and was funded by Orapharma, Inc, the makers of Arestin.