Antibiotics are medicines your dental provider may prescribe to help treat bacterial infections affecting your teeth. A tooth infection, or tooth abscess, is a pocket of pus that may feel painful and look red or swollen. Without treatment, abscesses get worse. The infection can spread throughout your mouth and (in extreme cases) nearby vital organs, like your brain.
Your mouth is home to over 700 species of bacteria. Any opening in your teeth or gums — from a cavity, a cracked or injured tooth or even gum disease — creates an avenue that bacteria can use to seep in and set up shop.
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When this happens, you may need antibiotics, in addition to a dental procedure, to stop the infection.
Types of antibiotics that treat tooth infections
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There are several classes of antibiotics. Each class contains specific drug types that work in much the same way to destroy bacteria. Some kill several strains of bacteria, while others target a specific type. The best antibiotic for you depends on which bacteria are causing your tooth infection.
Common antibiotics dental providers prescribe include:
- Penicillin-type antibiotics: Providers usually prescribe common types of penicillin, like amoxicillin or penicillin V, first. They kill a wide range of bacteria. They may prescribe clavulanate (a beta-lactamase inhibitor that helps penicillins work better) alongside amoxicillin.
- Cephalosporins:Common types dental providers prescribe include cephalexin.
- Nitroimidazoles: Common types include metronidazole.
- Macrolides: Common types include azithromycin and erythromycin.
- Lincosamides: You may need a lincosamide, like clindamycin, if you have a stubborn tooth infection that hasn’t responded to other antibiotics.
Less commonly prescribed antibiotics in dentistry include fluoroquinolones and tetracycline.
When do I need antibiotics for a tooth infection?
Dental providers typically prescribe antibiotics:
- To treat severe infections.
- To treat infections that are spreading.
- To prevent infections after a dental procedure.
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Antibiotics alone won’t get rid of tooth infections, but you may need to take them in addition to having a dental procedure. For example, draining the abscess, doing a deep cleaning, performing a root canal and pulling a tooth that can’t be saved are all primary treatments for a tooth infection. Often, these procedures clear tooth infections without antibiotics.
But you may also need antibiotics in certain instances. For example, dental providers are more likely to prescribe antibiotics if you’re immunocompromised. Having a weakened immune system puts you at risk of a mild infection becoming serious. It’s best not to chance it.
How should I take them?
Most antibiotics are tablets or capsules you take by mouth with a glass of water. Take them until every single pill is gone, exactly as prescribed. Read the instructions carefully when you get your prescription.
The instructions will tell you:
- How many days you’ll need to take the antibiotics.
- How many times a day you’ll need to take them.
- Whether you should take them with food or on an empty stomach.
Ask the pharmacist or your provider any questions you have about how to take your medicine for infected teeth.
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