Systemic anti-microbial agents used in periodontal therapy

Periodontitis is an infectious disease with marked inflammatory response, leading to destruction of underlying tissues. The aim of periodontal therapy is to eradicate the pathogens associated with the disease and attain periodontal health. This is achieved by non-surgical and surgical therapy; however, mechanical debridement and topical application of antiseptics may not be helpful in all cases. In such cases, adjunctive systemic antibiotic therapy remains the treatment of choice. It can reach micro-organisms at the base of the deep periodontal pockets and furcation areas via serum, and also affect organisms residing within gingival epithelium and connective tissue. Before advising any anti-microbial agent, it is necessary to have knowledge of that agent. The aim of this review article is to provide basic details of each systemic anti-microbial agent used in periodontal therapy. The points discussed are its mode of action, susceptible periodontal pathogens, dosage, its use in treatment of periodontal disease, and mechanism of bacterial resistance to each anti-microbial agent. It might be of some help while prescribing these drugs.