Dear Dental Doc,
I finally got the nerve to see a dentist after 12 years. I only needed a few fillings, but the dentist said I had gum disease. He said it wasn’t advanced and recommended I have scaling and root planning done. He also recommended placing something called Arestin in bad areas. What do you think?
Sam-Burligame
Dear Sam,
In order to answer your question let me first start out by explaining what periodontal disease is. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a chronic bacterial infection of the gums, teeth, and bone that surrounds the teeth. There are millions of bacteria in our mouths. These bacteria can build up on our teeth to create a soft, sticky substance called plaque. If plaque is left undisturbed, it mixes with the minerals in saliva and calcifies, creating a harder substance called calculus or tartar.
The bacteria in plaque and calculus cause the gums to become red and swollen, and generally bleed when brushed. This inflammation is called gingivitis and is the first stage of gum disease. If gingivitis is left untreated, the inflammation worsens resulting in damage to the bone and surrounding tissues holding your teeth in place. This results in periodontal pockets, which are unwanted valleys surrounding your teeth. As the disease progresses and the pockets deepen; you lose supporting bone, your teeth get loose and may eventually fall out. Fortunately, there are treatments available that effectively treat periodontal disease.
For years, the primary treatment for periodontal disease was scaling and root planning (S&RP). Your dental professional takes a scaling instrument and planes the root surfaces of your teeth below the gums, removing plaque and calculus. However, as pockets get deeper, it becomes increasingly harder to remove all of the calculus and plaque. Fortunately, we now have an adjunctive therapy called Arestin that can be placed directly into these pockets to kill the harmful bacteria.
Arestin is an antibiotic in a powder form. The active ingredient is minocyline, which is a member of the tetracycline family of antibiotics. Arestin is painlessly placed directly into periodontal pockets, where it combines with sulcular fluids adhering itself to the pocket walls. The powder is composed of microspheres that release minocyline into the pocket for approximately 21 days. This allows it to continue fighting your periodontal disease long after your S&RP appointment.
Arestin is an adjunctive therapy. When used in conjunction with scaling and root planning, it significantly reduces periodontal pockets and prevents the progression of periodontal disease.
Better smiles for all.
