Single use of tetracycline with and without diclofenac sodium as local drug delivery in pocket therapy: a clinico‐microbiological study

Aim: Local drug delivery is a non‐surgical method in the treatment of periodontitis. Different chemotherapeutic agents are used for local drug delivery; one such agent is tetracycline, a broad‐spectrum antibiotic. Recent studies have also shown that the use of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs reduces pro‐inflammatory cytokines and acts as host modulator. Thus, an attempt was made to compare and evaluate the efficacy of tetracycline alone and in combination with diclofenac sodium as a local drug delivery. Methods: A total of 36 sites with chronic periodontitis were divided into three groups with 12 sites each (i.e. group A, antibiotics alone; group B, antibiotics in combination with non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs; and group C, control group). For all the groups, the following parameters (plaque index, papillary bleeding index, probing pocket depth, and microbial analysis) were assessed and statistically analyzed. Results: The antibiotic and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug combination group showed a statistically‐significant improvement in clinical parameters and a shift in microbial flora when compared to the group with antibiotics alone. However, the control group failed to show any statistically‐significant improvement. Conclusion: Antibiotics in combination with non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs are more efficient than using antibiotics alone as local drug delivery for the treatment of periodontal pockets.