A tooth infection is one of the most common dental emergencies. A severe infection can cause serious oral health problems like tooth decay, and a mild infection can be painful. Antibiotics might be recommended if a tooth becomes infected and the cause is unclear. Here’s some information on antibiotics for tooth infection.
Antibiotics are antimicrobial drugs that kill or inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. They’re primarily used to treat bacterial infections.
Antibiotic medications are sometimes given in combination with other forms of treatment, such as painkillers or anti-inflammatory medicines, to help their effectiveness.
Antibiotics are helpful when the cause of the infection is known. For example, if bacteria cause dental disease, antibiotics will often be prescribed.
If your dentist suspects a bacterial infection, they’ll likely take a sample of infected tissue or fluid to be tested in the lab and treated based on the results.
When Are Antibiotics Used for a Tooth Infection?
Antibiotics treat infections when doctors think bacteria cause the infection. The two most common types of bacteria that cause tooth infections are Streptococcus pyogenes (infection with the group b strep germs) and Streptococcus mutans (gum infection).
In particular, “Strep” mutans, a common bacterium in many people’s mouths, swell up and cause damage to teeth after eating or drinking fermented foods.
Common Antibiotics for Tooth Infection
Several antibiotics are used to treat infections in your mouth, each of which provides different benefits. Penicillin is the most common antibiotic for a the tooth, often combined with another antibiotic. The two antibiotics used most often together are amoxicillin and clindamycin.
Penicillin works by attacking the bacterial cell wall, causing it to break down. This will kill several bacteria while leaving the rest unaffected. Penicillin is especially effective against streptococcal infections but less likely to be effective if several other infecting microorganisms exist.
Other antibiotics that drastically slow the growth and division of microorganisms are used in treating infections. These include Tetracycline, erythromycin, and chloramphenicol.
Because these antibiotics affect bacterial protein synthesis, they stop the growth of many different types of bacteria in the body. In addition, because they slow down a division so much, some bacteria may even die without having time to reproduce.
What Is the Best Antibiotic for a Tooth Infection?
The best antibiotic for most infections of the mouth is penicillin. It is a good antibiotic for many different types of bacteria. It is effective against the mouth bacterium streptococcus mutans (one of the two most common bacteria responsible for bad breath) and has few side effects.
The best antibiotic is determined by which one is most effective and how well it inhibits the growth of other bacteria in your body. Penicillin is the best antibiotic for most types of dental infections.
It does not work well when other types of bacteria are present, but it still provides significant relief. This is because penicillin helps the body kill all invading organisms.
Can You Get Over the Counter Antibiotics for Tooth Infection?
You can also remedy tooth-disease-causing bacteria with antibiotics bought at the pharmacy. You can buy a few different types of antibiotics in a bottle from the shelves, including penicillin and erythromycin. Antibiotics work best for problems caused by particular types of bacteria. They won’t help you treat an infection caused by other microorganisms.
You should also know that antibiotics’ most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and mild allergic reactions. The best antibiotics for tooth infections are those that a dentist prescribes. However, there are some over-the-counter treatments you can buy to help relieve the pain and discomfort of your toothache.
How Long Does It Take for Antibiotics to Work?
The time the antibiotic treatment will take varies based on the prescribed antibiotic. In most cases, antibiotics don’t fight infection in your dental root canal immediately. Instead, it takes time for them to work.
When you start taking them, they gradually build up in your system, and they need to stay at a certain level for an appropriate amount of time before they can fight infection effectively.
The length of time an antibiotic tooth infection treatment takes varies and is determined by your dental provider based on the test results of your illness. However, it takes time for these drugs to build up in your mouth and fight infection effectively.
What Are Some Treatment Options?
You may be asked to use antibiotics when you have an infected tooth or mouth caused by bacteria. You may be prescribed antibiotic mouthwash as well. If you want to prevent bacteria from infecting your teeth again, you can brush your teeth regularly and perform routine dental checkups so that you can replace any damaged teeth.
Why Is Continued Infection After Antibiotic Treatment a Problem?
If left untreated, the infections can cause damage to teeth or even lead to dangerous abscesses or other conditions in your mouth. Unfortunately, chronic or recurring dental diseases are not uncommon.
The best way to guard against infections of your root canal is to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Brush your teeth regularly, visit the dentist regularly, and try to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet because sugar feeds oral bacteria.
Will a Tooth Abscess Go Away With Antibiotics?
You can treat abscesses with antibiotics. If you have an abscess and get antibiotics, your infection symptoms should improve within a few days. However, antibiotics will only affect infections caused by bacteria; they won’t help you treat infections caused by viruses or fungi.
The treatment will often involve antibiotics combined with painkillers or anti-inflammatory medication and possibly a procedure to drain and clean the abscess.
What Can You Do to Avoid a Recurring Infection?
Once you’ve been treated for a dental infection, there are several things you can do to avoid further infections. First, ensure you brush your teeth regularly and visit the dentist every six months to ensure no cavities or other problems. You should reduce the amount of sugar in your diet because it can cause damage to your teeth and gums.
Also, remember to limit the number of sugary foods that you eat. Sugary foods are foods with high sugar content. These include refined sugar, candies, and many processed foods. Examples of foods that you should limit are jam, jelly sandwiches, popsicles, and candy bars.
6 Common Antibiotics for Tooth Infection
Common Tooth Abscess Antibiotics
- Amoxicillin
- Cefdinir
- Ciprofloxacin
- Erythromycin
- Erythromycin/penicillin
- Penicillin (Benzathine)
Over the Counter Antibiotics for Tooth Infection
Antibiotic resistance can take many forms, involving mutations in the DNA of bacteria and misfolding of proteins that act as enzymes in bacteria. The third form of antibiotic resistance is caused by efflux pumps, proteins in bacteria that pump antibiotics out of the bacterial cells before they can affect the bacteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are only effective for a short time, leaving many users with the decision of whether to try and go a more natural route. For example, the chemical compounds in pain relief drops have been far less effective at fighting the infection than a simple OTC antibiotic.
The first sign of a dental abscess is often a toothache or tenderness in the area, but some descriptions of what tooth pain feels like can be misleading. Patients who have been given antibiotics as treatment may also experience aches and pains as the medication begins to wear off. In addition, if you experience pain in another tooth unrelated to the infected one, or if the infection spreads to other oral tissues, you may have developed a secondary infection.
Dental abscesses can damage the surrounding bone and tissue through osteomyelitis if left untreated. This could cause permanent nerve damage, partially or entirely disable the jaw joint and result in tooth loss. In more severe cases, the abscess may form a rigid mass known as pyogenic granuloma. If not treated quickly, it could burst through the tooth or gum and cause a severe infection of the surrounding tissue.
Few home remedies have been clinically proven to treat a tooth infection effectively. Furthermore, those available are not powerful enough to kill the disease and should be used as an additional treatment alongside professional dental care.
If you experience a tooth infection, your dentist will be able to provide the most effective treatment available. This may cure the condition quickly, but painkillers may also be necessary to ensure you can continue your daily routine.
Several different antibiotics are available for treating a tooth infection. These include penicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, and clindamycin. The best antibiotic for your specific needs will depend on the type of bacteria causing your condition and is determined by thoroughly examining your symptoms.
Common side effects of antibiotics include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and mild allergic reactions. The way that antibiotics work also means that they can affect the way other drugs work in your body as well. Antibiotics can cause side effects if you take them with blood-thinning medications or if you are on other medications.
The best treatment for gum infection is always to visit a dentist as soon as possible and seek professional advice. Antibiotics usually play a minor part in treating gum infections, so selecting the correct antibiotic type is crucial. The best antibiotics for gum infection are tetracyclines and penicillins, with the lowest risk of side effects.
