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I had to have a tooth removed this past Monday, and I woke up this morning in lots of pain, and an infection. I have to cal the dentist tomorrow (Thursday) and tell her about it, but I'm terrified of taking antibiotics and messing up the MC, or getting c-diff.
I am allergic to penicillin, so I would need one of those other kinds. Can someone tell me which antibiotic I should request from the dentist? I had a recent thread about this, but there really wasn't a clear cut answer. Can anyone help?
HELP< I'm in pain. Which antibiotic should I get?
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IDreamInColor
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IDream,
Note that treating a tooth infection is a difficult problem, because the antibiotic cannot get inside an infected tooth. The surrounding tissue will almost always be dead if the tooth is abscessed. That means that there is no blood circulation, no white blood cells, and no way to get the antibiotic to the source of the infection. Because of that, it can be a prolonged battle, due to bacteria leaking into the bone, from the inside of the tooth. That's why an antibiotic alone will usually not cure the problem - your immune system has to help. And if the treatment goes on long enough, the bacteria may begin to develop a resistance to the antibiotic, so you may have to change antibiotics.
The common antibiotic choices include amoxicillan, clindamycin, erythromycin, (E-Mycin), metronidazole, and penicillin. Penicillin is out, since you're allergic to it. Amoxicillin is probably the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for this purpose, but amoxicillan and clindamycin, (and other similar antibiotics in these families of antibiotics), are contraindicated, because they have the worst reputation for causing a C. diff infection. That leaves erythromycin, and metronidazole as possible treatments. Of course, any antibiotic can cause C. diff, but the ones that I named above have the worst risk associated with them.
As Gloria pointed out, one of the safest antibiotics for someone with MC is Ciprofloxacin, but unfortunately Cipro is not commonly used to treat dental infections, though its use among dentists seems to be rising. You might ask your dentist about it.
Possibly, your best option might be to try to get a prescription for Zithromax, (Azithromycin), which is related to erythromycin, except that it has a much longer duration of action. Azithromycin is given to people allergic to penicillin, and those who have abscesses and other dental infections, especially those extending into the sinuses, gums and bone, and for whom other antibiotics have proved ineffective. Azithromycin has been well-tolerated by most members of this board who have taken it, and I'm not aware of anyone here who has developed C. diff, as a result of the treatment.
I hope this is what you were looking for.
Tex
Note that treating a tooth infection is a difficult problem, because the antibiotic cannot get inside an infected tooth. The surrounding tissue will almost always be dead if the tooth is abscessed. That means that there is no blood circulation, no white blood cells, and no way to get the antibiotic to the source of the infection. Because of that, it can be a prolonged battle, due to bacteria leaking into the bone, from the inside of the tooth. That's why an antibiotic alone will usually not cure the problem - your immune system has to help. And if the treatment goes on long enough, the bacteria may begin to develop a resistance to the antibiotic, so you may have to change antibiotics.
The common antibiotic choices include amoxicillan, clindamycin, erythromycin, (E-Mycin), metronidazole, and penicillin. Penicillin is out, since you're allergic to it. Amoxicillin is probably the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for this purpose, but amoxicillan and clindamycin, (and other similar antibiotics in these families of antibiotics), are contraindicated, because they have the worst reputation for causing a C. diff infection. That leaves erythromycin, and metronidazole as possible treatments. Of course, any antibiotic can cause C. diff, but the ones that I named above have the worst risk associated with them.
As Gloria pointed out, one of the safest antibiotics for someone with MC is Ciprofloxacin, but unfortunately Cipro is not commonly used to treat dental infections, though its use among dentists seems to be rising. You might ask your dentist about it.
Possibly, your best option might be to try to get a prescription for Zithromax, (Azithromycin), which is related to erythromycin, except that it has a much longer duration of action. Azithromycin is given to people allergic to penicillin, and those who have abscesses and other dental infections, especially those extending into the sinuses, gums and bone, and for whom other antibiotics have proved ineffective. Azithromycin has been well-tolerated by most members of this board who have taken it, and I'm not aware of anyone here who has developed C. diff, as a result of the treatment.
I hope this is what you were looking for.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I told my dentist to use one not one prone to giving C Diff. I believe he went out and looked it up in a book. I don't think he felt Cipro was appropriate for it.
When I went to the oral surgeon to have the tooth pulled, I specifically told him which one not to use but he used the generic of it when I was under!
I loaded up on expensive probiotics.
(I also had told him the one that the dentist had used with no problem.)
When I went to the oral surgeon to have the tooth pulled, I specifically told him which one not to use but he used the generic of it when I was under!
I loaded up on expensive probiotics.
(I also had told him the one that the dentist had used with no problem.)
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and don't play one on TV.
LDN July 18, 2014
Joan
LDN July 18, 2014
Joan
For what it is worth, erythromycin tore me up and my hubby had terrible problems with it..even though he has no problems with colitis.
I have used cipro and Zithromax with no major problems. We all have to find out what we can take on a trial and error basis, unfortunately.
I am lucky that my dentist is the daughter of my family doc who has been very supportive of my path toward remission with CC. So she always checks with her dad before giving me any medications.
grannyh
I have used cipro and Zithromax with no major problems. We all have to find out what we can take on a trial and error basis, unfortunately.
I am lucky that my dentist is the daughter of my family doc who has been very supportive of my path toward remission with CC. So she always checks with her dad before giving me any medications.
grannyh
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MBombardier
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FWIW, amoxicillin is synthetic penicillin. I used to work for Beecham Labs, which had invented the stuff and held the patent on it until the patent expired. One of the gals working for me was allergic to penicillin and could not even handle the paperwork that came from the anitibiotic facility where amoxicillin (which came from overseas) was packaged. Also, Clavamox is a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, and if you want to clean out your system, take Augmentin. Even if you've never had diarrhea in your life, lol.