Which option among the following is the term for a locally applied antimicrobial agent placed in a periodontal pocket?

• A. Subgingival curettage
• B. Scaling
• C. Root planing
• D. Perioceutics

Answer: (D)

Perioceutics is the term for a locally applied antimicrobial agent placed directly into a periodontal pocket. This approach delivers high concentrations of the drug right at the infection site, while minimizing systemic exposure. It’s used as an adjunct to mechanical debridement to help suppress subgingival bacteria and support healing.

The other options describe procedures rather than drugs delivered into the pocket. Subgingival curettage involves removing diseased soft tissue from the pocket; scaling and root planing are mechanical debridement steps to remove plaque, calculus, and smooth the root surface. None of these involve placing an antimicrobial agent into the pocket, which is why they are not the correct term here.