Tetracyclines: double blind clinical study to evaluate the effectiveness in periodontal surgery

Twenty consecutive hospital patients who were to have periodontal surgery were assigned to one of two groups in a double blind clinical study. Ten were placed on tetracycline 250 mg, 6 times per day for 5 days. The other ten were given an identical appearing placebo 6 times per day for 5 days. The capsules were placed in a brown envelope so that neither the patient nor the periodontist knew which medication was being administered. The patients were randomly assigned to one of the two groups and were evaluated subjectively and objectively on the 3rd day and the 7th day. Statistically there were no differences between the two groups. In both groups there was some inflammation on the 3rd day but on the 7th day, it had subsided. Tetracycline is not recommended for routine prophylactic use in periodontal surgery.