Doxycycline (Dental)

Brand Names : Atridox

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your dentist or doctor will make. For doxycycline periodontal system, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your dentist if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to doxycycline or to other tetracyclines. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Use of doxycycline periodontal system is not recommended during the last half of pregnancy. Tetracyclines, such as doxycycline, may cause the unborn infant's teeth to become discolored and may slow down the growth of the infant's teeth and bones if they are used during that time.

Breast-feeding - Use of doxycycline periodontal system is not recommended, since tetracyclines, such as doxycycline, pass into breast milk. They may cause unwanted effects in the breast-fed baby. It may be necessary for you to stop breast-feeding during treatment with doxycycline periodontal system. Be sure you have discussed the risks and benefits of the medicine with your dentist and doctor.

Children - In infants and children up to 8 years of age: Tetracyclines, such as doxycycline, may cause permanent discoloration of teeth and slow down the growth of bones. Use is not recommended.

In children 8 years of age and older: The safety and effectiveness of doxycycline periodontal system have not been established.

Older adults - 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 doxycycline periodontal system in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other 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 dentist or doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. While you are receiving doxycycline periodontal system, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) containing estrogen - Use of birth control pills with tetracyclines, such as doxycycline, may decrease the effect of the birth control pills and increase the chance of unwanted pregnancy

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of doxycycline periodontal system. Make sure you tell your dentist if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Candidiasis (yeast infection) of the mouth - May make the condition worse