ARESTIN® Dental Treatment

What Is Gum Disease?

Gum disease describes the growth of harmful bacteria that can gradually destroy the soft tissue surrounding and supporting your teeth. This common oral health issue begins with plaque, the sticky substance that is constantly forming on your teeth. When plaque accumulates to excessive levels, it can harden and form a substance called tartar in just 24 hours. Tartar can bind so tightly to the teeth that it can only be removed during a professional dental cleaning.

The two main stages of gum disease are gingivitis and periodontitis:

• Gingivitis: This early stage of gum disease causes the gums to become red and swollen. They may even bleed during toothbrushing.
• Periodontitis: Untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. At this point, the gum and bone begin to pull away or recede from the teeth, forming small pockets. Within these spaces, debris may collect and become infected. While the body’s immune system does attempt to combat the bacteria, these bodily enzymes fighting infection combined with bacterial toxins can break down the connective tissue and bone that hold teeth in place. The more the pockets deepen, the more gum tissue and bone are destroyed.

How ARESTIN^® Helps Treat Gum Disease

In its earliest stages, gum disease can be treated at home with a combination of proper brushing and flossing and healthy eating to control the growth of harmful bacteria. However, if pockets have begun to form and collect bacteria, your dentist may recommend a dental deep cleaning. Also called root planing and scaling, this involves the use of special manual instruments that reach below the gum line to remove built-up bacteria, plaque and tartar — restoring the health of gum tissue and teeth.

Once your cleaning is complete and all debris is removed, our periodontist may apply a special antibiotic to the treated areas to help destroy bacteria and optimize the dental deep cleaning process. This antibiotic is called minocycline HCl, or ARESTIN^®.

ARESTIN^® is an adjunct treatment to root planing and scaling and can kill bacteria in areas unreachable with instruments. This antibiotic can reduce pocket depth while also providing further protection against gum disease progression.

Learn How We Prevent and Treat Gum Disease at 209 NYC Dental

209 NYC Dental is a multispecialty practice with decades of experience. We are committed to helping you with all your dental issues in one location, including periodontal disease and other gum-related issues. If you would like to schedule an appointment with our board-certified periodontist or another member of our highly skilled team, contact us today.