Keflex For Tooth Infection Dosage

How Much Cephalexin Should I Take For A Tooth Infection

It depends on your age and how many infections you are facing in your teeth. Follow all directions of cephalexin prescribed by your doctor. If people feel no relief from pain even after 48 hours then the dosage can be high. It may be increased from 250mg to 500mg or 500 mg to 100mg. Skipping dosage can also cause high infection and this infection may lead to cold and common flu also.

You May Like: Antibiotic For Yeast Infection And Uti

How Cephalexin Is Supplied And Stored

• Cephalexin is most commonly available in 250 mg and 500 mg capsules and 50 mg, 75 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg, 250 mg, 300 mg, 500 mg, 600 mg, 750 mg, and 1000 mg tablets.
• It is also available as a chewable scored tablets in sizes of 75 mg, 150 mg, 300 mg, and 600 mg .
• Oral suspension is available in strengths of 25 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml, 100 mg/mL, and 150 mg/mL. Most manufacturers indicate the oral suspension is stable for 14 days following reconstitution.
• An oral paste is available in the concentration of 100 mg/mL.
• Tablets, capsules, and oral formulations should be stored at room temperature .
• An injectable version in the concentration of 150 mg/mL and 180 mg/mL is available in some countries.

Dosing Information of Cephalexin for Dogs and Cats

Overview Of Cephalexin For Canines And Felines

• Cephalexin, also known by the brand names Keflexî and Rilexineî, is an antibiotic used for dogs and cats. Cephalexin belongs to the cephalosporin class of drugs and is related to the penicillin drugs in how it kills bacteria. Cephalosporins have a much broader range of activity against bacteria than penicillins. Cephalexin is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics to dogs and cats.
• Cephalexin will prevent the bacteria from forming an adequate and protective cell wall. This results in instability and subsequent death of the bacteria.
• Cephalexin is a prescription drug and can only be obtained from a veterinarian or by prescription from a veterinarian.
• This drug is not approved for use in animals by the Food and Drug Administration but it is prescribed legally by veterinarians as an extra-label drug.

You May Like: Can A Doctor Help With Tooth Infection

Recommended Reading: Hair Follicle Infection Antibiotic Treatment

Important Information About All Medicines

Cephalexin May Interact With Other Medications

Cephalexin oral capsule can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.

To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs youre taking. To find out how this drug might interact with something else youre taking, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Examples of drugs that can cause interactions with cephalexin are listed below.

Also Check: Lemon Water For Yeast Infection

What Are The Most Common Symptoms Of A Tooth Infection

If youve never had an infected tooth before, you might be wondering how youd know if your tooth was infected. Pain is often the most common sign of a tooth infection. Unfortunately, this pain isnt always confined to the tooth itself. Because our teeth are connected to so many nerves, pain from an infected tooth can extend into the jaw, face, and neck. Talk about discomfort!

Other signs to look for include:

• Tooth sensitivity to heat, cold, and/or pressure

• Tenderness around the tooth

• Swelling of the mouth, jaw, or face

If you have a dental abscess that bursts open on its own, you might taste a strong, salty fluid that could also smell bad.

When Are Antibiotics Used For A Tooth Infection

Tooth infections dont always require antibiotics. In many cases, they may clear up on their own. Rinsing with warm saltwater or taking over-the-counter medicines, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , may help to reduce tooth pain and swelling.

The American Dental Association recommends that dentists avoid prescribing antibiotics for most tooth infections due to potential side effects. Dental treatments, such as drainage, deep cleaning, or a root canal , may sometimes be necessary.

However, your dentist may prescribe antibiotics if you are immunocompromised or if your tooth infection is spreading. Some of the signs that your tooth infection is getting worse may include:

• Swelling in the jaw or neck
• Intense pain or swelling that does not go away

If left untreated, a tooth infection may spread to the surrounding bones and tissues. This can lead to serious health complications, including:

If you have a severe tooth infection, your dentist may prescribe a course of antibiotics to prevent it from spreading. Antibiotics may prevent tooth loss and other serious health complications.

Don’t Miss: Does Bv Treatment Cause Yeast Infection

Benefits Of Cephalexin For Oral Hygiene:

A lot of us are suffering from bacterial infection and it is totally common. There are a lot of things that you can do like going to the dentist and taking medications. But, you must try or even your doctor might suggest Cephalexin as it is an antibiotic medicine that will help in pain. It ensures that the bacteria do not form on your teeth. It will help to show symptoms before so you can even take care of it.

It belongs to the class of first-class antibiotics which includes amoxicillin and penicillin. But, some people have severe allergies so make sure that you check before use. Dentists prescribe this medicine to patients after a root canal or severe pain in the gums.

Who Shouldnt Take Cephalexin

Cephalexin is considered safe during pregnancy, but a provider may only prescribe it when absolutely necessary. Cephalexin is also considered safe for use while breastfeeding.

Certain populations should not take cephalexin due to potential complications or drug interactions.

Let your healthcare provider know if you have any of the below conditions:

• Inflammation in the large intestine
• Kidney disease with decreased kidney function
• History of Clostridium difficile infection

Dont take cephalexin if youre allergic to it or to other, similar antibiotics, known as cephalosporins.

Also, let your doctor know if you take the drugs metformin or probenecid, which can negatively interact with cephalexin.

If you think youre experiencing an allergic reaction to cephalexin, go to the emergency room or call 911.

And if you have unwanted or severe side effects that are not life threatening, dont hesitate to reach out to your healthcare provider or a K provider, who can help treat them or find a new medication to treat your tooth infection.

Also Check: Boric Acid For Recurrent Yeast Infection

Drug And Laboratory Test Interactions

• Cephalexin has minimal interactions with other medications and is often given concurrently with many cardiac, respiratory, and thyroid medications.
• However, it is possible for cephalexin to interact. Drugs that interact include certain other antibiotics like aminoglycosides , amphotericin B, chloramphenicol, cholestyramine, estrogens, furosemide, metformin, metoclopramide, omeprazole, pantoprazole, probenecid, and warfarin. Consult with your veterinarian to determine if other drugs your pet is receiving could interact with cephalexin.
• It is possible for administration of cephalexin to cause false results on laboratory tests including glucose, albumin, Coombs, and urine protein.

Why Arent Antibiotics Working

Oral infections are also called abscesses. The small pocketshold pus and dead tissue, which can appear as a pimple-like bump on the gum,usually near the root of a tooth. Often, they are the result of an untreatedcavity, failing dental work, trauma, or a cracked tooth.

If the tooth isnt treated, it can cause the bacteria toenter the roots. The bacteria will then feed on your nerve tissues and bloodvessels. This allows them to spread and multiply, wreaking havoc in your mouth.

At this point, antibiotics arent enough to solve theproblem because they wont treat the underlying cause of the infection, like acavity. To prevent the issues from worsening, youll need a root canal.

Don’t Miss: What Antibiotics Are Good For Kidney Infection

Can You Take Doxycycline For A Toothache

Doxycycline is part of the tetracycline class of antibiotics. It isnât typically a first-choice antibiotic rather, it is reserved for more serious infections.

Therefore, doxycycline should only be taken for a toothache if that toothache is caused by a severe infection and your dentist has prescribed it to you.

Doxycycline can also be used to help prevent the breakdown of gum tissue and help with the reduction of gum pockets in patients who have gum disease. At that dosage, however, it wonât treat bacterial infections.

Doxycycline for a tooth infection is not recommended in children under 12 because antibiotics from the tetracycline class can cause permanent tooth staining in children. Itâs also not suitable for pregnant women.

Safety Tips To Consider Before Giving Your Pooch Cephalexin

Once again, before giving your dog Cephalexin, also make sure you are following your veterinarians instructions for your dog.

• Keep an eye out for side-effects and allergic reactions to the medication. Your vet may suggest giving your Cephalexin to your dog at the same time as a meal to reduce the risk of side effects.
• Make sure you finish the fully prescribed course of medication. Your dog may seem better before the seven or 10-day duration of medication. But, they may still have pathogens lurking in their system.
• Dont use the medication for other pets in your home. The dosage amount and strength relates to the dog your vet assessed.

You May Like: Who To Go To For Eye Infection

How To Cope With Side Effects

What to do about:

• feeling sick eat simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food while you’re taking this medicine. It might help to take your cefalexin after a meal or snack.
• diarrhoea drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.
• stomach pain putting a heat pad or covered hot water bottle on your stomach may help stomach pain.

How Should I Take Keflex

Take Keflex exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets.

Do not use Keflex to treat any condition that has not been checked by your doctor.

Use this medicine for the full prescribed length of time, even if your symptoms quickly improve. Skipping doses can increase your risk of infection that is resistant to medication. Cephalexin will not treat a viral infection such as the flu or a common cold.

Do not share Keflex with another person, even if they have the same symptoms you have.

This medicine can affect the results of certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using this medicine.

Store the tablets and capsules at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Yeast Infection Without Antibiotics

What Is The Best Antibiotic For A Toothache

A toothache caused by infection can be treated in various ways depending on the severity, location, and general health of the patient. In cases of severe infections that cant be treated by root canal or tooth extraction alone, your dentist may prescribe an antibioticusually amoxicillin, or metronidazole in the case of a penicillin allergy.

Read Also: Vaginal Yeast Infection That Wont Go Away

Dosage For Respiratory Tract Infection

Adult dosage

14 grams per day taken in divided doses. The usual dose is 250 mg taken every 6 hours, or a dose of 500 mg every 12 hours may be given. If you have a severe infection, your doctor may give you a larger dose.

Child dosage

14 grams per day taken in divided doses. The usual dose is 250 mg taken every 6 hours, or a dose of 500 mg every 12 hours may be given. If you have a severe infection, your doctor may give you a larger dose.

Child dosage

2550 mg/kg of body weight per day taken in divided doses. Your doctor may double your dose for severe infections.

Child dosage

This medication hasnt been studied in children younger than 1 year for this condition.

Senior dosage

The kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, more of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This raises your risk of side effects. Your doctor may start you on a lowered dose or a different dosing schedule. This can help keep levels of this drug from building up too much in your body.

Also Check: Can A Cavity Get Infected

Can Cephalexin Be Toxic

Always make your veterinarian aware of any other medications or health conditions your pet has. That means they can check that any antibiotic, including Cephalexin, that they prescribe is safe for your pets situation.

Cephalexin should not be prescribed to any animals that are allergic to penicillin, or pregnant or nursing pets. There can be reactions and interactions with other medications. Caution is also needed for pets with kidney disease and kidney failure.

Some Things To Take Into The Consideration Are:

*What are the signs and symptoms?

*Is it a diagnoses that a dentist sees regularly, as some conditions that he/she sees do not need antibiotics, and then some others do need to be treated under the antibiotic coverage.

The dentist might simply drain the infected area, remove the infected area of the tooth, or simply fix it by the root canal treatment. Dentists generally avoid recommending antibiotics, unless the spreading nature of the infection is severe, or if the person suffering has a weakened immune system.

Some examples explaining the need for antibiotics in tooth infections:

In case of spontaneous pain, the diagnosis is often related to the pulpal inflammation. This pulpal inflammation does not necessarily have bacteria. Hence, antibiotics are of no use in such cases.

In the other cases, where the pain is of a chronic type and the sensitivity test comes back negative, there is a possibility that the pulp is dead, and this area of necrosis has become home to some bacteria. Here, even though the bacteria is present causing the infection in the pulp area, the source of infection in most cases is the tooth itself. As the pulp is dead, there is no blood supply, hence the infection is not systemic. In such cases too, the antibiotics are of no use, as the drug cant reach systemically to the area of infection where there is no blood supply.

So then question arises: When should someone use an antibiotic?

Also Check: How To Avoid A Yeast Infection While Taking Antibiotics

Antibiotic Therapy During Pregnancy

The physiological changes of pregnancy can affect the condition of the oral cavity such as increasing the risk of gingivitis and pyogenic granuloma . Preventive or therapeutic interventions during this period should be carried out to preserve the health of both mother and her neonate, enhance maternal oral health, and reduce children’s future oral problems . In this regard, it has been mentioned that the mothers with poor oral hygiene who have a higher number of microorganisms in their saliva, especially Streptococcus mutans, can easily transmit the infection to the infant causing several serious problems for them . It should be also noted that most of the dental procedures are not emergencies and can be postponed after delivery however, acute dental infections should be managed during pregnancy .

The drug prescription during the pregnancy should be done more cautiously, as the inappropriate prescription could irrecoverably harm the fetus. In dental practice, the main agents that are commonly used during pregnancy and are considered to be safe during this period are analgesics, anesthetic agents, and antibiotics . Food and Drug Administration has classified drugs into 5 groups based on their risk factors during pregnancy , and most of the antibiotics are classified to be in class B of FDA arrangement . Furthermore, the pregnant patients should receive a complete adult dose with the usual length of treatment .

Which Are The Best Antibiotic For Tooth Infection:

What antibiotic is used for tooth infection?

To reach a conclusion we first need to understand a few things.

Firstly, the severity of a tooth infections depends on the individual, and it needs to be addressed by your dentist. When you go for the check-up, make sure that you get to know about the type of abscess/infection you are suffering from. Which antibiotic to use depends upon the final diagnosis. It is critical to analyze which antibiotic will suit a particular infection. Also, misuse of antibiotics can put a patient to risk. Drug resistance by a particular bacteria is a major drawback. Therefore, analyzing the diagnosis and prescribing the antibiotic accordingly is the first step.

Some indications for the dosage of different antibiotics are as follows:

Read Also: Burning While Peeing Yeast Infection