Your dentist can diagnose you with a tooth infection with a thorough physical examination. Your healthcare provider may tap your teeth or ask you to bite down to assess your level of pain. They may also perform imaging tests, such as dental X-rays.
If your tooth infection is severe or persistent, your dentist may prescribe antibiotics. The goals of taking antibiotics for a tooth infection are to prevent tooth loss and other serious health complications.
According to the ADA, the first-line antibiotics for a tooth infection include:
- Oral amoxicillin
- Oral penicillin V potassium
Amoxicillin and penicillin V potassium are both in a class of antibiotics known as penicillin-type drugs. They work to fight infections by killing bacteria or stopping its growth. Penicillin-type drugs won’t work to treat viral infections.
If you are allergic to penicillin-type drugs, your dentist may prescribe one of the following antibiotics instead:
- Oral azithromycin
- Oral clindamycin
- Oral cephalexin
Azithromycin, clindamycin, and cephalexin are all commonly used to treat bacterial infections.
Penicillin, Amoxicillin, and Cephalosporin Allergy: What to Know
Dosage
The current ADA recommendations for antibiotic dosage for tooth infections are as follows:
- Oral amoxicillin: 500 milligrams (mg), three times per day
- Oral penicillin V potassium: 500 milligrams, four times per day
- Oral azithromycin: 500 milligrams on the first day, followed by 250 milligrams for four days
- Oral clindamycin: 300 milligrams, four times per day
- Oral cephalexin: 500 milligrams, four times per day
Duration
These are the current ADA recommendations for the duration of a course of antibiotics for a tooth infection:
- Oral amoxicillin: Three to seven days
- Oral penicillin V potassium: Three to seven days
- Oral azithromycin: Five days
- Oral clindamycin: Three to seven days
- Oral cephalexin: Three to seven days
Some of your tooth infection symptoms should begin to clear up after two to three days.8 However, it’s important to take the full course of antibiotics as your dentist prescribes.
Taking Antibiotics
It’s important to take antibiotics exactly as prescribed, even if you start feeling better quickly. If you stop taking antibiotics too early, your infection may linger. You could also raise your risk of developing a bacterial infection that is resistant to antibiotics.
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