Antibiotics used for the treatment of periodontal disease have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. One concern lies in the rise of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, complicating treatment and posing general health risks. Some patients want to avoid antibiotics and their side effects altogether. Many dentists have raised concerns about long-termefficacy. Hydrogen peroxide has a long and safe track record in dentistry and has been used in tray delivery for more than 10 years to treat periodontal disease. Classified in the United States as an oral debriding agent and an oral wound cleanser, peroxide is an effective antimicrobial for chronic oral wounds including periodontal disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, antibiotic-resistant infections outside of hospital settings were rare until recently. The rise in bacterial resistance to antibiotics now poses serious health threats. In the United States, at least two million people are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacterial each year and 23,000 of these patients die from the infections. The CDC estimates that nearly half of antibiotics currently prescribed are not needed and urges antibiotic stewardship: using antibiotics only when they are needed to treat disease, choosing the right antibiotics, and administering them in the right way in every case.

An effective and less costly alternative to antibiotics in the treatment of periodontal disease is a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide.

In addition to its oral debridement and wound cleansing action, the oxygenating action of hydrogen peroxide has therapeutic benefits. Oxygen released by the peroxide when the gel is delivered into periodontal pockets changes the microenvironment of the pocket and accounts for recorded changes in the microflora.

Hydrogen peroxide is used in this office as it has little to no side effects. It is very effective in helping patients with gum disease as a conservative approach.