The Effect of Systemic Metronidazole After Non‐Surgical Treatment in Moderate and Advanced Periodontitis in Young Adults

T he effect of adjunctive systemic Metronidazole was studied in patients with moderate and advanced periodontitis recalcitrant to comprehensive non‐surgical treatment. The material originated from a randomly selected part of the population aged 31 to 40 years. After non‐surgical treatment of 149 patients, 98 with persisting pathological pockets ≥ 5 mm (52 men and 46 women) became the subjects for the study. Clinical parameters were registered and pocket contents subjected to laboratory analysis. The subjects were randomized into two groups according to a code list known only by the manufacturer and the statistician. The test group took three 400 mg metronidazole tablets daily for 1 week and the control group took placebo tablets. Reassessment 6 months later showed statistically significant clinical improvement, with a reduction in the number of sites ≥ 5 mm in both test and control groups. Complete healing, with no pockets ≥ 5 mm, was noted in 30% of the test group and 9% of the control group. The difference is statistically significant and shows the supplementary effect of adjunctive metronidazole in non‐surgical treatment of moderate and advanced periodontitis. J Periodontol 1990 ; 61 : 281 – 288 .