What Is ARESTIN?
ARESTIN is the brand name for minocycline hydrochloride 1 mg microspheres — a locally applied antibiotic that’s FDA-approved to treat adult periodontitis. It comes as a very fine powder that your hygienist places directly into the infected gum pocket right after your deep cleaning. The tiny microspheres stick to the pocket and release minocycline over the next couple of weeks, treating the bacteria that cause gum disease at a concentration far higher than any pill could deliver to that spot — meaning a targeted fix exactly where you need it.
Why Not Just Use Oral Antibiotics?
Oral antibiotics have been used for decades to treat gum disease, but they come with real trade-offs. A pill sends medication throughout your whole body, so the actual concentration that reaches the infected pocket is very low. On top of that, oral antibiotics can cause stomach upset, yeast infections, and — importantly — they add to the broader antibiotic resistance problem. ARESTIN sidesteps all of that by putting the medicine exactly where your infection lives, at a much higher concentration, with very little absorption into the rest of your body.
When ARESTIN Is the Right Call for You
ARESTIN is used as a companion to scaling and root planing — not a replacement — when you have moderate to advanced periodontitis, typically with pockets of 5 mm or deeper. Clinical studies show that a deep cleaning paired with ARESTIN produces noticeably greater pocket-depth reduction than a deep cleaning alone. For our Charlottesville neighbors who are serious about keeping their natural teeth, it’s often the difference-maker.
What Your Treatment Feels Like
Your ARESTIN application is quick and comfortable, and it happens right after your deep cleaning while you’re still in the chair. Your hygienist uses a small applicator to place the powder gently into each treated pocket. You won’t feel much of anything — it’s a quick, dry application. When it’s finished, you can head back to the rest of your day without missing a beat.
After Treatment — What to Do (and Not Do)
- Avoid eating hard, crunchy, or sticky foods for about a week so the microspheres stay in place.
- Don't use tools like toothpicks or interdental brushes on the treated areas for 10 days.
- Brush normally, but wait 12 hours before flossing the treated areas.
- Expect some mild sensitivity or a slight bitter taste for 24 hours — this is normal.
Seeing Your Results
You’ll come back in for a follow-up six to eight weeks after treatment so your pocket depths can be re-measured and your tissue health checked. Most people see meaningful pocket-depth reduction after one round of ARESTIN, and some benefit from a second application at their next periodontal maintenance visit. Whether you need another round depends entirely on how your gums are responding — and you’ll make the call together with Dr. Karamcheti based on the actual numbers, not guesswork.