Take Control of Your Oral Health with Antibiotic Therapy for Gum Disease

Periodontal disease, also referred to as gum disease, is a progressive oral condition affecting the gum tissues and the teeth-supporting bone. Kelli Brady, DDS, understands the importance of optimal gum health in oral health and aesthetics. Among our periodontal disease treatments, we offer antibiotics to stop oral infections in their tracks.

If you are troubled with gum disease in New York, NY or Norwood, New Jersey, schedule an appointment with our dental team to see what antibiotic therapy can do for your smile. We offer oral and topical antibiotics to reduce or entirely eliminate disease-causing bacteria.

How do antibiotics work?

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections—they don’t work for viruses. When you take antibiotics, they travel to the infection site to kill bacteria or inhibit their growth, allowing the immune system to fight off the infection more effectively.

Some antibiotics kill bacteria and reduce the production of collagenase, an enzyme that destroys gum tissues. We all need collagenase to replace old tissues with new ones. However, when you have gum disease, its production increases, accelerating the degeneration of gingival tissues.

Not all oral infections require antibiotics. Sometimes, your natural healing mechanism can fight the infection without needing medications. We’ll only recommend antibiotics when it’s absolutely necessary since their overuse may lead to bacterial resistance.

Types of antibiotic treatments for gum disease

Dr. Kelli Brady may use antibiotics in combination with scaling and root planing, commonly referred to as a “deep cleaning”. Antibiotics can be taken orally or applied topically. The type of antibiotic depends on the severity of your infection..

The following are the common antibiotics your dentist may use to treat gum disease.

  • Tetracycline antibiotics: Tetracycline is effective in treating periodontal disease and inhibiting the growth of certain bacteria. It also prevents the production of collagenase, whose overproduction destroys periodontal ligaments.
  • Macrolides: This group of antibiotics includes azithromycin, which inhibits protein synthesis by targeting the bacterial ribosome. It is effective for treating chronic periodontitis.
  • Penicillin: They inhibit the ability of bacteria to form a cell wall, leading to their death.
  • Arestin®: This topical antibiotic is placed underneath the periodontal pockets, delivering the antibiotic properties directly into the gums without affecting the entire body.
  • PerioChip: This thin wafer contains chlorhexidine, a powerful antiseptic. The dentist inserts the wafer into the periodontal pockets, dissolving over the next few days.

In cases where traditional treatments don't work or the infection keeps recurring, we'll request culture results of your mouth to find out the specific type of bacteria present. This will guide the dentist in choosing the best antibiotics.

Antibiotics therapy near me

Antibiotics are effective in fighting oral infections and restoring optimal dental health. To determine if you need antibiotics for gum disease in Norwood, New Jersey, or New York, NY, call (201) 806-6866 or (646) 692-0227, respectively, to talk to Kelli Brady, DDS.