Do you take amoxicillin @ dental visit?

[Sunbeam]

Thank you everybody. My dentist said no antibiotics before a filling - only begore cleanings. My cardiologist said antibiotics before all dental procedures. It is the bacteria in.our own mouths getting into our bloodstream during the procedures.

 

[DaveEM]

Here's what the American Dental Association says about it: Antibiotic Prophylaxis Prior to Dental Procedures

Here's what the American Heart Association says, as described in this NIH article: Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis (SBE) Prophylaxis - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf

Bottom Line: only recommended for those with prosthetic heart valves and those with certain underlying heart conditions. The American Heart Association(and the American Dental Association followed suite) in 2019 updated their guidance on antibiotic prophylaxis after studies weighing the risk of adverse effects of antibiotics vs. the risk of infective endocarditis of the heart valve.

 

[tom in MO]

Thank you everybody. My dentist said no antibiotics before a filling - only begore cleanings. My cardiologist said antibiotics before all dental procedures. It is the bacteria in.our own mouths getting into our bloodstream during the procedures.

That's what the current guidance says. However my cardiologist said he prefers me to take antibiotics before any dental procedure, so I take it before fillings as well. My dentist agrees with my cardiologist and wants me to take it for any procedure.

 

[slipkid]

Yes, but I had to switch from amoxicillin to something else (I 4get the name off top of my head) because I developed an allergic reaction to amoxicillin (had taken it for years with no problems but then was given a high dose of it for 10 days for a sinus infection and whole on that I got really bad hives/red rash covering my body from the top of my head down to my feet!).

As I understand it (& I could be wrong) we probably don't need it for a filling per se, it is more impt for cleaning which irritates the gums/causes bleeding, which can get infected. But better to take for a filling as well in case the various gear in your mouth cuts your gums.

 

[carolinemc]

Hello - I had a mitral valve repair 1 1/2 yr ago. I take 2000 mg of amoxicillin 1 hr before my cleaning. Next week I need a filling. Do you take your antibiotics with any kind of dental procedure? I will probably Email my cardiologist to be sure.

I have had to premed since I was born with aortic stenosis, heart murmur. Even with the St. Judes' leaflet valve, I must still premed for even cleanings. You will need to premed for any dental work due to the possible infection might go down to your heart from the mouth. One young lade took a chance and she passed due to contracting encardititis(may be mispelled) from her mouth. Always contact doctor to get premed. And I have to go higher up since I am allergic to Amoxicillin. Never take a risk.

 

[carolinemc]

Yes, but I had to switch from amoxicillin to something else (I 4get the name off top of my head) because I developed an allergic reaction to amoxicillin (had taken it for years with no problems but then was given a high dose of it for 10 days for a sinus infection and whole on that I got really bad hives/red rash covering my body from the top of my head down to my feet!).

As I understand it (& I could be wrong) we probably don't need it for a filling per se, it is more impt for cleaning which irritates the gums/causes bleeding, which can get infected. But better to take for a filling as well in case the various gear in your mouth cuts your gums.

I had to switch from Amoxicillin also. Was a pain, I suffered labored breathing and thought I was going to pas out. No hives, thank goodness. When you take meds that have penicillin, you build up to a point that reaction will eventually happen. I was in the dentist chair when I had my reaction. I stayed in the officer after the cleaning to make sure I was alright before going straight home. Scary.

 

[enkaynj]

You wouldn’t go wrong taking 2000 mg an hour before dental work. The guidelines keep changing. When I got my tissue valve in 2011 guidelines were to take an hour before AND an hour later. A few years later they said I didn’t have to take any. Lately it seems they have been updated again. I did not have any side effects even if I had not taken any. But better be safe than sorry. On insurance I pay $1.30 for 10 capsules. Some pharmacies give out amoxicillin for free.

 

[slipkid]

I have a dentist appt in about 2 weeks btw. Not looking fwd to it. Due to Covid my 6 month checkup/cleaning was canceled and this one will be a year since I had my teeth scraped. I get bad plaque buildup despite flossing, brushing, waterpicking, etc and the hygienist usually starts with the water type scraping tool to make things easier b4 the real torture starts (hand scraping) but I believe now with Covid they do not use that water tool because of the splashing/possible germ spreading. So this one could be really rough. I'm gonna be bleeding for sure. At least I am off plavix now (another type of blood thinner, had to take that after getting a stent put in last year). Being on both that AND warfarin I was worried about getting a cleaning...

 

[tom in MO]

I have a dentist appt in about 2 weeks btw. Not looking fwd to it. Due to Covid my 6 month checkup/cleaning was canceled and this one will be a year since I had my teeth scraped. I get bad plaque buildup despite flossing, brushing, waterpicking, etc and the hygienist usually starts with the water type scraping tool to make things easier b4 the real torture starts (hand scraping) but I believe now with Covid they do not use that water tool because of the splashing/possible germ spreading. So this one could be really rough. I'm gonna be bleeding for sure. At least I am off plavix now (another type of blood thinner, had to take that after getting a stent put in last year). Being on both that AND warfarin I was worried about getting a cleaning...

I went to the dentist twice right after lockdown ended. No troubles for me. They wore two masks and a clear face guard.

 

[slipkid]

I went to the dentist twice right after lockdown ended. No troubles for me. They wore two masks and a clear face guard.

Did they use the water scraper thing or just hand tools?

P.S. Just ran into an unexpected hassle. Checked my antibiotic bottle for the appt and the pills "expired" as of 1/21/20 (that doesn't mean they are no good but I'd rather have a bottle that doesn't say "discard after 1/21/20" on them). I have more refills left but of course thanks to the goddam CVS prescription system (I run into hassles with this with my warfarin ALL THE TIME btw) has this prescription NOT ALLOWING any refills after 8/2019!!! I called the dentist office to phone in a new prescription and they told me that "you have to go back to the Dr that prescribed the pills". I told them that was what I was doing - THE DENTIST has prescribed my antibiotics for dental visit, even dating back to BEFORE I had my AVR done (back when it was considered necessary for anyone with a heart murmur - which then got changed a few years later to not being needed but I digress). But they refused to do it!!! Girl said that (supposedly) they no longer do any prescriptions (wtf?) and I need to go through my "doctors". So now I have to go through a maze to try to get this from my new cardiologist (whose office is a real confusing mess to try to deal with on ANYTHING) or my PCP. Just a total hassle. Never ends.

 

[tom in MO]

Did they use the water scraper thing or just hand tools?

P.S. Just ran into an unexpected hassle. Checked my antibiotic bottle for the appt and the pills "expired" as of 1/21/20 (that doesn't mean they are no good but I'd rather have a bottle that doesn't say "discard after 1/21/20" on them). I have more refills left but of course thanks to the goddam CVS prescription system (I run into hassles with this with my warfarin ALL THE TIME btw) has this prescription NOT ALLOWING any refills after 8/2019!!! I called the dentist office to phone in a new prescription and they told me that "you have to go back to the Dr that prescribed the pills". I told them that was what I was doing - THE DENTIST has prescribed my antibiotics for dental visit, even dating back to BEFORE I had my AVR done (back when it was considered necessary for anyone with a heart murmur - which then got changed a few years later to not being needed but I digress). But they refused to do it!!! Girl said that (supposedly) they no longer do any prescriptions (wtf?) and I need to go through my "doctors". So now I have to go through a maze to try to get this from my new cardiologist (whose office is a real confusing mess to try to deal with on ANYTHING) or my PCP. Just a total hassle. Never ends.

The did not use the water scraper thing. My hygienist doesn't use it every time. My dentist keeps amoxycillin in his office in case someone forgets. He charges $10 for it which is more than CVS. A call to your cardio's nurse should get you a prescription the same day.

 

[Eva]

......My dentist keeps amoxycillin in his office in case someone forgets. He charges $10 for it which is more than CVS. A call to your cardio's nurse should get you a prescription the same day.

one time I forgot to take my amoxicillin, my dentist gave me four from his office for free! Very kind of him. He appreciated that three of us go to him, were his patients for many years, and had to drive 40 mins to his office after we moved from the area.
But now, we’re getting older and found dentists nearby.