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Tooth Removal and antibiotics

P

Paranoid

Junior member
Joined
Dec 21, 2007
Messages
2
Do they always give you Antibiotics when you get a surgical Extraction?
 
Re: Tooth Removal

It might vary from area to area and dentist's preferences, but I don't feel that it's usually necessary after every surgical extraction to prescribe antibiotics. Most healthy people's immune systems should be able to handle the amount of bacteria present on their own in most cases. I only prescribe antibiotics if there is a concern about a large chronic abscess healing up, a lot of bone removed, or if there's a medical concern which might impair the patient's immune system.

The over-prescribing of antibiotics is a major concern as bacterial resistence to current medications do develop making antibiotics less effective over time. It will be a dark day when we run out effective antibiotics to combat resistant strains of bacteria.
 
Re: Tooth Removal

As I've said in some of my messages when I start to reply to a question, I'm no expert but can only answer from my own experiences. When I had extractions I was given antibiotics and when asking why, thinking it was probably because my teeth and gums had been so bad that it was to get rid of any infections I already had. But my dentist told me that in the past, and I'm talking not recent past but way, way back, it was common for people to actualy die from infection after tooth extraction. Now don't worry, that wouldn't happen today I am talking about when they used to just yank out a tooth with no regard for hygiene, when there weren't such things as proper dentists, nothing like today but as a matter of course, they like to give antibiotics, after all it does make sense, because unless you have stitches your gums are 'open' to infection. Zzzzzzz (I do get carried away with my Z's) has already comments and no doubt, the other onboard dentists might like to step in with their contributions.
 
Re: Tooth Removal

I agree with Zzz- it varies from case to case. The guidelines are always changing about when antibiotics required - and some dentists may differ in opinion in certain circumstances. In the main we are trying to reduce the over-use of antibiotics with patients (for the reasons Zzz mentioned), however I would go with the advice of your dentist unless you feel particularly concerned about it- in which case ask him/her if it is 100% required in your case. One of the main factors in preventing infection after the procedure is your aftercare- eg leave the area alone for about 6 hours (no rinsing, hot drinks etc), then regular gentle salty rinses, avoid smoking, taking it easy etc, and all the other things your dentist will tell you.
Mike
 
Re: Tooth Removal

Thanks for the responses,

The reason I ask is I'm allergic to penicillen so they gave me clindamycin for my abcess and then two weeks later there going to remove it and I don't want to take it again because it makes me feel so crappy.
 
Re: Tooth Removal

Thanks for the responses,

The reason I ask is I'm allergic to penicillen so they gave me clindamycin for my abcess and then two weeks later there going to remove it and I don't want to take it again because it makes me feel so crappy.


They may not re-prescribe, and if they do, can you ask for a different antibiotic?? Amoxicillin, Zythromax, etc?? I'm pretty sure these two aren't penicillin-derivatives, and they (for me) are much easier on my system (I'm not allergic to penicillin, it just wreaks havoc with me)
 
Re: Tooth Removal

I am also allergic to penicillen, the antibiotic I've had in the past and currently taking are called metronidazole.
 
Re: Tooth Removal

Amoxicillin is a penicillin derivative. Any anti-biotics with "cillin" on the end are penicillin derivatives. Here are a few brands you would probably be allergic to if you can't have penicillin:
Amoxicot®
Amoxil®
Moxilin®
Trimox®
Wymox®

So don't accept these, but obviously they will know what to give ya...they go to university for a thousand years lol.
 
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