which antibiotic to take

[Patty926]

On Tues. Feb. 24th I am having 11 teeth extracted. On Feb 12th I went to my dentist to get impressions made for my partials to be made. While I was there he prescribed pennicillin  for a tooth infection. He said if this did not work, he wanted to prescribe Clindymiacin. I explained to him that I had tried that in the past and it made me extremely ill. He said that yes, it could cause some cramping and loose stools, but I would just have to put up with it to get rid of the infection. It did not just cause a little bit of discomfort, I was doubled over in pain! The doctor who had prescibed it to me told me to discontinue it immediately when I explained my symptoms and gave me a different antibiotic. Now, I am scared to death because the Pennicillen is not working and I know that he is going to prescribe the Clindymiacin. I cannot take it!!! Is there any other antibiotic he could prescibe that wouldn't make me so sick and miserable? Since the pennicillen is not working, does that mean that amoxicillen wouldn't work? If I am remembering correctly, the doctor who took me off the Clindymiacin ended up putting me on Cipro and it worked like a charm! That time it was also a tooth infection and an infected salivary gland so I don't understand why we can't just do that. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you,

Patty

[StratRebel]

You need to find a new dentist, there are multiple good alternative medications to use.  A dentist unwilling to use more than those two is not keeping current with the field.

Try calling your oral surgeon and seeing if they will give you something else.

[Patty926]

Thank you for your help. I am sitting here close to tears because I just called the dentist and he said since the penicillen didn't work, the only other alternative is Clindamycin. I really do not know what to do. I could deal with some discomfort, but my experience with Clindamycin was horrible. I just know if this infection is not cleared up by the 24th, the oral surgeon will not extract these teeth and the misery is just going to go on and on. Thanks again,

Patty

[StratRebel]

The main 2 antibiotics dentists like in the US are Amoxicillin and Clindamycin.  However, if Cipro has worked for you in the past, there is no reason your dentist can't prescribe that for you instead (other than drug interactions if you are taking other meds).  Talk to your dentist about it.  Clindamycin is a great antibiotic, but its usually better for more severe infections and it does tend to cause a lot of GI problems.  Azithromycin is also good if Clindamycin makes you that sick.

[Patty926]

Thank you so much for the quick response. I wasn't sure if the amoxicillin would work since the penicillin didn't. I will note these medications and suggest them to my dentist. I don't understand why he is so adament about using the clindymiacin. I understand that it works for a lot of patients, but it really made me ill. Is periodontal disease a disease of the gums? My dentist said my gums and bone are fine. I just could never afford to keep going to the dentist to fix my teeth. I have been fighting this battle since I was 16 years old. ( I am now almost 45! ) Mom and dad never took us to the dentist unless we were in pain!!!!! No preventative care at all. Anyway, thank you so much, this helps a lot!!!

Patty

P.s. I am so impressed of how you can spell all of those meds!!! Sorry about my incorrect spelling, but I didn't have a clue! Lol!

[scottma]

It appears that you are afflicted with advanced periodontal disease. Multiple extraction may not need antibiotics in the situation of advanced periodontitis. However, if you do need antibiotics after extraction, amoxicillin and metronidazole, erythromycin( erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin) and metronidazole are commonly prescribed for periodontal infection. You may address your condern to your dentist.