Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 10, 2022.
Commonly used brand name(s)
In the U.S.
- Actisite
Chemical Class: Tetracycline (class)
Uses for tetracycline
Tetracycline periodontal fibers are used to help treat periodontal disease (a disease of your gums). Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria growing beneath the gum line. Tetracycline works by keeping the number of bacteria from growing. Lowering the amount of bacteria helps to reduce inflammation and swelling in your mouth, and the amount of bleeding around the teeth. Tetracycline fibers are placed in the inflamed mouth areas by your dentist after he or she has thoroughly cleaned your teeth.
Before using tetracycline
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For tetracycline, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to tetracycline or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Studies on tetracycline have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of tetracycline in children with use in other age groups.
Geriatric
Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of tetracycline in the elderly with use in other age groups.
Interactions with medicines
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medi...
