This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Dental antibiotics

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

For acute dental and gum infections, examples of suitable antibiotics include (adult doses) for 5 days:

  • amoxicillin 500mg 8-hourly orally, or,
  • metronidazole 400mg 8-hourly orally, or,
  • if penicillin allergic: clarithromycin 500mg 12-hourly orally

  • clindamycin is an alternative for severe infection but there is concomitant risk of developing Clostridium difficile associated diarrhoea

For cellulitis/severe infection (if spreading infection (lymph node involvement, or systemic signs ie fever or malaise), use amoxicillin plus metronidazole (or clarithromycin plus metronidazole if penicillin allergic)

Rinsing with Chlorhexidine mouthwash 10ml twice daily can be used for chronic gingivitis.

All patients should be advised they must seek a dentist's advice as these are only emergency measures.

Check with local prescribing guidelines for the treatment of dental infections before prescribing medication.

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.