Arestin is an antibiotic powder used to treat gum disease also know as periodontist. Arestin is applied directly to infected gum pockets after a scaling and root planning (SRP) procedure. It prevents bacteria from growing and reduces gum inflammation. Arestin can reduce pocket depth and is nearly twice as effective at reducing gum bleeding than (SRP) alone. A dental cleaning only removed 26% of the bacteria in the periodontal pocket. Arestin is bactericidal for up to 15 days and remains active for up to 30 days.