Essay on Doxycycline: Treating Skin, STI, Chest & Dental Infections

Introduction

Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic that is used to fight and treat infections such as skin infections, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), chest infections, dental infections and other rare infections in the human body. The brand names that are available for doxycycline include Vibramycin, Adoxa CK, Adoxa Pak, Adoxa TT, Oracea, Atridox, Acticlate Cap, Acticlate, Doryx, Doxy, Doxteric, Monodox, Mondoxyne NL, and Vibra-Tabs (Ferreira, 2017). Other brand names include Periostat Targadox, Vibramycin Calcium, Vibramycin Hyclate, Vibramycin monohydrate, Alodox, Morgidox, Avidoxy, Oraxyl, among others. Doxycycline is available as a generic drug. Its generic name is doxycycline (DOX i SYE kleen).

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Doxycycline for Dental Use

Doxycycline has been indicated for dental use, and it has a significant effect on the oral cavity. Doxycycline is used during a certain dental treatment (scaling and root canal treatment) in people with gum disease (periodontal disease). Doxycycline works by keeping the number of bacteria from developing. Reducing the number of bacteria in a patient’s mouth significantly reduces pain, infection, and swelling and the amount of blood loss around the teeth (Rahmati, 2020). Doxycycline is positioned in deep gum pockets next to a patient’s teeth to minimize the depth of the pockets. It aims to strengthen tooth adhesion by lowering gum pockets. Doxycycline is classified under the class of antibiotics widely recognized as tetracyclines. At this low dosage, this treatment does not cure bacterial infections, but it may help to alleviate breaking down of gum tissue (Wormser, 2019). Antibiotics do not work for viral infections (such as common cold, flu). Any excessive use or misapplication of any antibiotic will result in its diminished efficacy.

Indications for the use of Doxycycline

The drug is always administered on an empty stomach by mouth, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal, usually 1 to 2 times a day or as instructed by a dermatologist or practitioner. If otherwise ordered, the drug is taken with a cup of water (8 ounces/240 milliliters). Taking it with food or milk will help if stomach discomfort arises. However, doxycycline may not function as required if it is consumed with food or milk or something high in calcium. A patient is not permitted to lie down for at least 10 minutes after consuming this antibiotic (Ferreira, 2017). The prescription should be taken 2 to 3 hours before or after consuming any food products aluminum, iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. However, various brands of doxycycline may have specific recommendations about administering them with or without food.

Other Alternative Uses Of Doxycycline

Doxycycline is used for many various forms of infections, including Hemophilus influenzae, staphylococcus epidermidis, or Mycoplasma pneumoniae, infections of the respiratory tract. It is also used to diagnose non-gonococcal urethritis (because of Ureaplasma), and to diagnose rocky mountain spotted fever, typhoid, chancroid, cholera, avian influenza, anthrax, genital herpes, skin problems, and periodontal disease.

Dental Considerations

Doxycycline periodontal system is placed next to a patient’s teeth by a dental professional into one or more deep gum pockets. A dental dressing or adhesive is put on top to help maintain the system up and running. The diagnosis can be administered four months later. The duration of treatment for the paradental doxycycline treatment is seven days after the dentist administers it. Doxycycline periodontal system does not have to be removed by the dental professional as it will disintegrate itself. The dental dressing or attachment, which keeps the device in place, will gradually fall out (Boast, 2016). But if after seven days the dental coating or adhesive is still there, the dentist will replace it. Once the antibiotic has been inserted in the mouth of a patient, he or she is expected to prevent any acts which may allow the medication to come out. For example, cleaning around the teeth that have been treated for seven days.

Contraindications for Doxycycline

Two types of contraindications relate to doxycycline medications. They include absolute contraindication and relative contraindication. Absolute contraindication implies that a medical substance used with other medicines or treatments may be life-threatening and must be avoided. Relative contraindication means that as long as the beneficial effects are more significant than the risk, a drug can be used with caution for specific medications or procedures (Wormser, 2019). Examples of absolute contraindications for doxycycline include allergic reaction to tetracycline medications and children under eight years of age. Doxycycline can cause irreversible teeth discoloration and slow bone development.

Other absolute contradictions include pregnancy and breastfeeding the baby as it negatively impacts bone and tooth growth in the unborn child and newborn. Examples of relative contraindications for doxycycline include allergic reactions to other treatments, food products and substances, recurrent diarrhea and history of lupus (inflammatory disorder). Other relative contraindications include hypothyroidism (a blood disease), liver disease, kidney disease, the historiography of bacterial infections, and latest colitis caused by antibiotic use.

Side Effects of Doxycycline

Some side effects that may take place typically do not require medical attention. These side effects can disappear during diagnosis as one’s body adapts to the antibiotics. Usually, doxycycline is well tolerated. The most common and severe side effects are constipation or watery stool, nausea, abdominal pain, as well as puking. Tetracyclines, such as doxycycline, can cause dental discoloration when used in people below the age of 8 (Wormser, 2019). Overblown sun exposure with tetracyclines will occur; thus, during therapy, exposure should be minimized. Less common and severe side effects entail spine curvature or abdominal constipation or abdomen pain, cough, indigestion, gum swelling and digestive problems. Other side effects include abdominal pain, or stomach difficulties and upset, measles-like symptoms, mouth discomfort or aches and pains, muscle pain and breathe shortage.

References

Boast, A., Curtis, N., & Gwee, A. (2016). QUESTION 1: Teething issues: can doxycycline be safely used in young children?. Archives of disease in childhood, 101(8), 772-774.

Ferreira, C. F., Babu, J., Hamlekhan, A., Patel, S., & Shokuhfar, T. (2017). Efficiency of Nanotube Surface-Treated Dental Implants Loaded with Doxycycline on Growth Reduction of Porphyromonas gingivalis. International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants, 32(2).

Rahmati, M., Lyngstadaas, S. P., Reseland, J. E., Andersbakken, I., Haugland, H. S., López-Peña, M., ... & Haugen, H. J. (2020). Coating doxycycline on titanium-based implants: Two in vivo studies. Bioactive Materials, 5(4), 787-797.

Wormser, G. P., Wormser, R. P., Strle, F., Myers, R., & Cunha, B. A. (2019). How safe is doxycycline for young children or for pregnant or breastfeeding women?. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, 93(3), 238-242.