Dental Work

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Bobbie
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Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:00 pm

Dental Work

Postby Bobbie » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:07 pm

Since many of you developed C.diff. after taking Clindamycin for dental work & have concerns about future dental visits, the mods. on this siste decided to make this a topic in CDI. Again, the reminder, this is not a medical site. Check out any information with your own dentist/doc/pharmacist.

Don't ignore your dental hygiene. Bacterial infections that affect the heart can start in the mouth. See a dentist at regular intervals (every 3 to 6 mo.), brush & floss after every meal, & use a waterpik. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

If an oral infection isn't severe, an prescription mouthwash called Peridex might work & has little absorption.

If you need an oral antibiotic, discuss using Penicillin (PenVK or PenG) with your dentist. It is fairly narrow in spectrum & is still often effective in treating strep throat & some dental infections. Because of its overuse & thus resistance, many docs. prescribe the 'big guns" such as Amoxicillin & (even broader spectrum) Augmentin. Although Amoxicillin & Augmentin are not in the penicillin family, they have a cross reactivity, & people allergic to Penicillin are usually allergic to them. Try to avoid Clindamycin especially if you've had C. diff.

CDI -Antibiotics lists Clindamycin, Amoxicillin, & Augmentin as frequent offenders in causing C. diff. Christina checked with her doc. (Dr. Kelly) who is a C. diff. expert, and he said Penicillin is fairly safe.

Also, remember, the more an antibiotic is used, the greater the chance of the body building antibodies against it & thus causing an adverse reaction. Also, there is an increased chance of the antibiotic losing its effectiveness. Many people are allergic to penicillin or any form of it. There is an allergy test to determine if you are allergic to Penicillin.

For a detailed explanation of antibiotics, their ingredients, & their brand & generic names, check one of the medical sites such as http://www.medscape.com or http://www.webmd.com. Wikepedia is a good source (free on-line encyclopedia) for medical terminology & info. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotics for general info. on antibiotics but isn't always accurate as anyone can post in it. Also, see CDI-Antibiotics.
Last edited by Bobbie on Wed Jul 16, 2014 12:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: updating

Bobbie
Administrator
Posts: 12688
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:00 pm

Postby Bobbie » Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:54 pm

Sheila contributed this.

Unfortunately there aren't alot of options with the mouth. Penicillin VK is the best choice and more narrow spectrum, but most people say they are allergic to it. It's questionable as to whether many people really are or not.

Most people with heart problems don't need prior antibiotics - they are now only recommended for those with:
- mitral valve prolapse
- rheumatic heart disease
- bicuspid valve disease
- calcified aortic stenosis
- congenital heart conditions such as ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Here's a link to more info. from the Amer. Heart Association, released 4-17-07:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/ ... 041907.php
Last edited by Bobbie on Wed Jul 16, 2014 12:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: updating


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