Topical antimicrobials: new horizons for management of periodontal disease in general practice?

One of the most prevalent infectious diseases that dental practitioners have to treat is periodontal disease. Antimicrobial and antibiotic agents have been developed that can be applied topically with no deleterious side-effects and reaching greater concentrations at the disease site than such agents given systemically. Used in conjunction with the mechanical debridement of deep pockets of disease, these agents appear to enhance the effectiveness of treatment. This approach is likely to feature more and more in the routine management of periodontal disease.