Antibiotics are powerful medicines that fight bacterial infections. Used properly, antibiotics can save lives. They either kill bacteria or keep them from reproducing. Your body's natural defenses can usually take it from there.
Antibiotics do not fight infections caused by viruses, such as
Colds
Flu
Most coughs and bronchitis
Sore throats, unless caused by strep
If a virus is making you sick, taking antibiotics may do more harm than good. Each time you take antibiotics, you increase the chances that bacteria in your body will be able to resist them. Later, you could get or spread an infection that those antibiotics cannot cure.
When you take antibiotics, follow the directions carefully. It is important to finish your medicine even if you feel better. Do not save antibiotics for later or use someone else's prescription.
A new study published today in the Journal of Periodontology shows that a combination of the locally delivered antibiotic ARESTIN® (minocycline hydrochloride) Microspheres, 1 mg, plus the standard treatment procedure for gum disease is significantly more effective than standard treatment alone in reducing the amount of surrounding tissue and bone that has been destroyed. The combination of ARESTIN® plus standard treatment effectively controls periodontal infection and creates a better environment where healing can occur.
The study measured the antibacterial effectiveness of using ARESTIN® to treat the specific bacteria, also known as red complex bacteria, which have been shown to cause gum disease (periodontal disease). The study results show that when administered in conjunction with the standard treatment procedure, called scaling and root planning (SRP), ARESTIN® significantly reduced the proportion of these disease causing bacteria by 29 percent more than SRP alone. Thirty days after treatment, patients treated with SRP alone had 43 percent more periodontal disease causing bacteria than patients receiving treatment with ARESTIN®. Additionally, patients who received the locally delivered antibiotic maintained a level of bacteria comparable to that seen in healthy patients.
Study authors were also excited to find that the anti-bacterial effect of locally delivered ARESTIN® was highly specific and caused little impact on oral bacteria that are commonly found in healthy mouths. Treatment was directed almost entirely toward restriction of the bacteria that cause periodontitis, with little inhibitory effect on species thought to be beneficial.
