Who needs dental premedication?

In many cases, patients have different systematic conditions that affect their entire body. Antibiotic prophylaxis tends to be a preventative procedure to help such patients prevent any further complications after dental treatment. Dentists usually suggest dental prophylaxis to patients who are at the risk of developing infective endocarditis (IE), which is an infection in the lining of the heart. Your dentist or healthcare provider may check if you have the following conditions before starting your dental treatment.

• Your history of IE

• Any repaired heart valve

• Any kind of heart disease

• A history of heart transplant

Commonly used antibiotics in dentistry

The need to have premedication requires the patient to take antibiotic medicine orally one hour before the dental appointment. The antibiotic medicine works by getting into the body system through gum tissues and equipping the body tissues to fight off any risk of bacterial infection.

According to the Journal of the California Dental Association, an adult patient should take 2 grams of amoxicillin before the appointment, while a child may need to get 50 milligrams per kg of body weight. The healthcare provider may prescribe other medicines, such as cephalexin, clindamycin, or azithromycin if the patient has an allergy to amoxicillin. These antibiotics are fast-acting, easy to take, and capable of killing bacteria that might result in infection in the body.

You may want to take antibiotics while eating food to prevent side effects, which may include nausea, upset stomach, and diarrhea. Doctors suggest the use of antibiotics only when they are sure that their benefits are going to outweigh the side effects. That’s why it is necessary to speak to your doctor before taking any antibiotics.

It is most crucial to take care of your oral hygiene. In some cases, maintaining oral hygiene may liberate you from having to take antibiotics as a premedication measure. Make sure to brush and floss your teeth regularly to prevent any formation of plaque on your teeth surface and around the gum line.