Dental work tomorrow

[mathewb]

Hi all. I am so happy I found this site cause I felt so alone before. I have been treated twice in about 1.5 months for c diff that I got after dental work (2 root canals in 7 days) back in December due to fractures in my teeth from grinding at night. I now have a mouthguard. I was given amoxicillin first because my mouth swelled after a filling and then I got the root canal. For the second root canal, I was in a lot of pain afterwards and they gave me clindamycin. About 10 days after finishing it, I had c diff. It has been 10 days since I finished my oral vanc (was given flagyl the first time) and I have a dentist appointment tomorrow for a crown for the first root canal and to work on another fractured tooth that could need a root canal since it has been bothering me lately. It has been 3 months of thing after thing with all this dental work, but I also pushed back this dental appt multiple times to give myself a chance to heal.
I know I am putting myself at risk for needing an antibiotic if anything becomes infected, but by looking at this site, I have noted the CDI- high offenders and saw that a few people tried Peridex first at a sign of infection. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm not sure if anyone else has been in a similar situation. I am seriously scared and so lost on what is the right thing to do.

[AllisS]

I know that other posters have found Peridex useful for dental issues. I asked my own dentist about it at some point; he said it's a rinse but not an anti-infective. That said, I've had multiple crowns without any infection. Not sure what working on a fractured tooth entails. Just be extremely cautious about accepting an antibiotic especially if it's being prescribed "preventively"; you note that you were "given" various antibiotics, but you are the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to taking medication.

Antibiotics are notoriously overprescribed for dental work in the U.S. (much less so in U.K., I gather). If an infection were to occur and the dentist felt an antibiotic was imperative, ask about alternatives to amoxicillin and certainly to clindamycin. I contracted C. diff from the latter and would no longer take it other than if it were the only option in a true life-death situation.

[mathewb]

Thank you for your help!

[NanciT]

I have had extensive dental work post my year with CDIFF more than likely due to vomiting which I also had with CDIFF. Some of this was during my year with CIDFF, but most after I finally got rid of it.
Over two years 3 root canals and 2 extractions. One of those due to a fracture. I went from my dentist to either an endodontist who specializes in root canals, or an oral surgeon.
Due to all of the dental work, I could not risk taking antibiotics. All 3 providers knew my complete history. We took each procedure case by case. The fracture appeared to be infected so I did have the oral surgeon remove it which was far more $ than the dentist but only after the procedure he would see if anything was needed. Thankfully he cleared the infection. No antibiotics were needed.

In my case it was the right thing to do, I have not taken any antibiotics for any of these procedure. I have used peridex each time prior to the dental work or extractions. All 3 recommended it.
There is alot of education going on with Dentist today in the US about antibiotics. Things are finally changing.

Go with caution and if necessary, see a specialist.

NanciT

[mathewb]

Wow, I am so grateful for this site. I appreciate your help and advice. It's nice to know others have gone through similar things.