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Bacteria and high levels of plaque release tissue destroying enzymes. If left untreated the gums and bones holding teeth in place can be damaged leading to possible tooth loss.
In order to treat bacteria, our office utilizes several anti-bacterial therapies. During your dental hygiene visit in the office, chlorhexidine is used to rinse your mouth and the periodontal pockets around your teeth. Clorhexidine rinse is an antibacterial; solution that kills the bacteria that creates plaque and eventually leads to gum inflammation and bone loss. It is usable both in the office as an aid to the hygienist and at home as a rinse for those individuals who are having difficulty controlling gingivitis and mild periodontal disease.
Those that have been diagnosed with moderate to advanced periodontal disease may be treated with one of two new antibacterial medications.
Arestin is an antibiotic powder in a form called nanospheres that can be placed under the gum tissue quickly and easily. Placed in a deep periodontal pocket, these dust sized particle dissolve in a specialized time released process. This allows direct treatment of the bacteria that causes periodontal disease over a sixty day period. Research and our experience in the office has shown that this treatment, if used in conjunction with exceptional home care on the patients part, can dramatically reduce the depth of periodontal infection. The normal course of treatment for patients utilizing this modality is to see the patient every three months for evaluation and re-treatment with more Arestin. Many of our patients who have been treated with Arestin have reduced their need for further periodontal treatment.
Periostat is an antibiotic that is prescribed, taken twice daily, to directly treat the destruction of tooth and gum tissue caused by certain enzymes in the body. This medication, in pill form, creates a high level of antibiotics in the sulcus (collar) around every tooth. This is the area that periodontal disease begins and causes most of its damage. One of the wonderful things about this new therapy is that the level of antibiotic is virtually undetectable in the bloodstream.
Our office has been privileged to participate in a multi-center research project evaluating the effectiveness of some of these treatments. This has proven to be very exciting to us and exceptionally beneficial to our patients.
In conjunction with careful monitoring in the office and a patient’s own personal hygiene efforts at home, we are controlling the most damaging disease found in adults, periodontal disease.
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