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When to use antibiotics for a tooth infection

Dentists will only recommend antibiotics for tooth infections if absolutely necessary.

Dentists will typically only recommend antibiotics in dentistry for tooth infections. However, not all infected teeth require antibiotics.

In some cases, a dentist may simply be able to drain the infected area, remove the infected tooth, or perform a root canal to fix the issue.

They tend to avoid recommending antibiotics unless they are absolutely necessary, such as when the infection is severe or spreading, or if a person has a weakened immune system.

List of types and dosages

Although antibiotics can help clear a tooth infection, it is important to use the appropriate antibiotic in each situation.

The type of antibiotic a dentist recommends will vary depending on the bacteria causing the infection. This is because different antibiotics work in different ways to eliminate different strains of bacteria.

As a study in the Dentistry Journal notes, there are over 150 different strains of bacteria that occur in the mouth. Many of these bacteria have the potential to grow and cause an infection.

Treatment may change depending on the bacteria causing the infection, though much of the time, dentists simply recommend an antibiotic that works against many types.

Penicillin class

Penicillin-type drugs are common forms of antibiotics for tooth infections. This includes penicillin and amoxicillin. Some dentists may also recommend amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, as the combination may help eliminate more stubborn bacteria.

Typical dosages of amoxicillin for a tooth infection are either 500 milligrams (mg) every 8 hours or 1,000 mg every 12 hours.

Typical dosages of amoxicillin with clavulanic acid are around 500–2,000 mg every 8 hours or 2,000 mg every 12 hours, depending on the minimum effective dosage.

However, some bacteria may resist these drugs, making them less effective. In fact, many doctors now choose other antibiotics as their first line of treatment.

Also, some people are allergic to these drugs. Anyone who has had an allergic reaction to similar medications should tell their dentist before receiving their treatment recommendation.

Clindamycin

Clindamycin is effective against a wide range of infectious bacteria. As a study in the International Dental Journal notes, some researchers recommend clindamycin as the drug of choice to treat dental infections, as bacteria may be less likely to resist this drug than penicillin-class drugs.

A typical dosage of clindamycin is either 300 mg or 600 mg every 8 hours, depending on which dosage will be effective.

Azithromycin

Azithromycin works against a wide variety of bacteria, working to halt their growth. It may be effective in treating some tooth infections, though dentists may only recommend it to people who are allergic to penicillin-class drugs or who do not respond to them or other drugs such as clindamycin.

The typical dosage of azithromycin is 500 mg every 24 hours for 3 consecutive days.

Metronidazole

Metronidazole is an antibiotic that doctors and dentists use to treat a number of infections. However, it may not be suitable for everyone and is typically not the first choice of treatment.

The dosage for metronidazole is around 500–750 mg every 8 hours.

Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, Pharm.D. — Written by Jon Johnson on June 14, 2019 for Medical News Today 

(08/14/2020) Views: 582
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