Systemic antibiotics in the treatment of periodontitis

Abstract

The 2001 Guinness Book of World Records list periodontal diseases as the most common disease of humankind. Gingivitis and periodontitis that are also chronic noncommunicable diseases are the most common type of periodontal diseases. Both are plaque-induced inflammatory conditions with multifactorial destructive nature. Initiation of the diseases requires the adherence of the pathogenic bacteria to tooth surfaces and triggering the inflammatory response in periodontal tissues. Hence, initial periodontal treatment of the diseases consists of mechanical debridement to remove bacterial plaque and calculus from the root surfaces. Maintenance of oral hygiene, scaling and root planing and periodontal surgeries if necessary provide expected results in most cases since the biofilm is disrupted mechanically.[1] However, when pathogenic bacteria are residing within periodontal tissues or in deep pockets or root furcation defects or root concavities or grooves, to access these sides for mechanical debridement would be limited.[2] Systemic antimicrobial therapy in periodontal treatment may provide benefits as an adjunct to mechanical periodontal debridement.[3] Especially, aggressive periodontitis patients have more benefits from nonsurgical therapy together with systemic antibiotics comparing to nonsurgical treatment alone.[4-6]