Repeated metronidazole and amoxicillin treatment of periodontitis. A follow-up study

Abstract

Background: The prevailing concept is that little or no clear benefit is derived from antibiotic therapy in chronic periodontitis. Studies to determine the effect of metronidazole plus amoxicillin (M+A) on adult periodontitis are questionable because standard design for clinical trials was usually not used. In addition, there is no information about the effect of M+A as the sole therapy for periodontitis. Methods: A randomized, triple- blind, controlled clinical trial was used to determine the effect of systemic administration of M+A, as the sole therapy, in progressive adult periodontitis. Forty-six subjects with moderate to advanced adult periodontitis who showed ≥2 mm attachment loss in at least 2 sites in the previous 2 months were entered in the study. Subjects were randomly distributed to a group who received 21 tablets of metronidazole 250 mg plus amoxicillin 500 mg, or to a group receiving a placebo (1 tablet every 8 hours for 1 week).