Can Cefuroxime 250 mg be used for tooth infection?

Answer 1

I am Not a doctor. All I can tell you is that I'm allergic to penicillin. Whenever I've had a tooth infection my dentist has prescribed Keflex (generic-cephalexin 500mg), I was told that this is the next best antibiotic because it works well with bones and teeth.

Personally, I think more and more doctors are getting away from giving penicillin because of people like me that don't wear their Medic Alert bracelets. Liability.

I am a doctor, and I can tell you that cephalexin is not the best drug for dental infections. If one is allergic to penicillin, clindamycin would be a better choice. Penicillin is still the drug of choice because it is cheap and effective.

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I am not a doctor, but my dentist gave me Cephalexin for an abscess, and the abscess actually went away in May, and has not returned by December (2009). It might have been caused by a sinus infection, since the supposed abscess was seen on xray on my upper left rear area. The root canal specialist waited to see. No charge.

BUT, I now have a tooth upper right, that probably has infection inside, including extreme cold sensitivity, and severe pain (had to take 1/2 10 mg lortab last Saturday morning just once, since Cephalexin kicked in and stopped pain).

My dentist had given me Cephalexin 500 mg (generic for Keflex) this time the next day after the pain started, and we scheduled the root canal guy. WHEN I ASKED WHY NOT CLINDAMYCIN, he said that it was for anaerobic (non oxygen) bacteria, but Keflex is what is indicated here. I was previously noted as penicillin allergic, by the way. The infection went away after 3 days, and no cold sensitivity, and no pain. Chewing pain has also gone away completely. I am continuing Cephalexin now 7 days going to 10 days. I saw the root canal specialist after 4.5 days on Cephalexin, and he recommended that we do one, but he burned and froze the tooth, and I didn't feel a thing, so he said I could wait and see, so we are. It will probably come back, but this was to explain in what situations which antibiotic was actually used.

So, that is what my doctors say about these two drugs.

Tooth infection (aerobic) - Cephalexin (Keflex)

Internal infection such as internal abscess (anaerobic) - Clindamycin

(Maybe the doctor that answered above was not a dentist)

Answer 2

will be going to the dentist next week but want to start her antibiotic over the weekend

Answer 3

In brief: Not first choice Cefuroxime is an antibiotic, but not the first choice for oral infections because it is more effective against bacteria that aren't found in abundance in the mouth.

Answer 4

yes