Advice on antibiotics
This advice page is for people whose dentist has prescribed an antibiotic
drug for them. Antibiotics are drugs that fight the bacteria (germs) which cause infections. There are a number of important things you need to know about antibiotics:
What you must do if you are pregnant:
It is essential that you make sure your dentist knows if you are pregnant
before you take the antibiotics. You are asked this
question regularly as part of your medical history questionnaire but, of course, things do change, so
please be sure to tell the dentist immediately if you are
pregnant or if you learn that you are pregnant before completing the course of antibiotics.
What you must do if you are taking the oral contraceptive pill:
Antibiotics may interfere with the way that the oral contraceptive pill
works, making it less effective. You must use additional methods of contraception while you are
taking antibiotics and for seven days after you finish the course of antibiotics. Don’t stop taking your
contraceptive pill - you should continue to take it in the normal way.
What you should do to make sure that the antibiotics work:
For antibiotics to be effective, they must be taken as directed (refer to the label on the
bottle). Most antibiotics are absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream (and are therefore more effective) if they
are taken about half an hour before you eat. The exception is Metronidazole, which should be taken
with food – check the label on the bottle to see which antibiotic you have been given. The tablets should be taken at approximately equal intervals during the day, eg:
3 tablets – one each
at 8am, 3pm and 11pm
4 tablets – one each
at 8am, 1pm, 6pm and 11pm
It is very important to complete the full course of antibiotics, even if you feel better and your symptoms
disappear (unless your dentist advises you to stop taking them early).
What you should do if you feel pain:
It is not unusual to experience discomfort when you have a dental infection.
It may take up to 48 hours before you feel the benefit of the antibiotics, so if you are in pain you can take
painkillers such as Nurofen Plus, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol or Aspirin. Be sure to follow the directions on
the packaging. If the pain continues for more than three days, contact your dentist (hygeia patients
call 01803 866166).
What you should do if your condition changes:
You have been given antibiotics because you have (or are suspected to have) an
infection. Infections do sometimes get worse before they get better. If you find that:
you start to experience swelling, or
an existing swelling gets worse, or
the pain increases, or
you begin to develop a temperature
contact your dentist immediately for advice (hygeia patients
call 01803 866166; out-of-hours, call the hygeia emergency helpline
on 07734 898220).
What you should do if you experience side-effects:
If you experience a rash or fever, you may have
developed an allergy to the antibiotics. Do not take any more of the antibiotics
. Contact your dentist immediately
(hygeia patients call 01803 866166; out-of-hours, call the hygeia
emergency helpline on 07734 898220).
If you experience mild nausea or diarrhoea there is no need for
concern – antibiotics often cause these mild side effects and they are not harmful.
However, if the nausea or diarrhoea become severe of if you experience diarrhoea
with bleeding – do not take any more of the antibiotics. This is very important if you
are taking Clindamycin. Contact your dentist immediately
(hygeia patients call 01803 866166; out-of-hours, call the hygeia
emergency helpline on 07734 898220).
If you are prescribed Metronidazole you must not drink alcohol during the course of antibiotics – mixing the
two will make you nauseous.
NB: Even if you feel better after taking the antibiotics
it is very important that you come to any follow-up appointment
that has been made for you. If you don’t, you may just end up ill or in pain again. Hygeia patients with any queries or who are uncertain about what to do should call us
on 01803 866166.
Important Notice: Remember that the advice and information in this
website is not intended to be a substitute for a visit to your own dentist - always seek the advice of a dental professional. The advice and information is
provided for your interest and entertainment only. Hygeia cannot accept responsibility for any loss,
damage or injury arising from reliance on the advice or information in this website.
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