How To Use Lotions Gels And Solutions
Doctors prescribe clindamycin lotions, gels, and solutions to treat acne.
A person with acne can apply a thin layer of Cleocin T 1% lotion or clindamycin 1% solution to the affected area of skin twice per day.
A person can apply Clindagel 1% once daily to the affected area when acne appears.
Topical clindamycin can cause diarrhea. Anyone who has had colitis should avoid using this treatment.
How K Health Can Help
Did you know you can get affordable primary care with the K Health app?
to check your symptoms, explore conditions and treatments, and if needed text with a doctor in minutes. K Healths AI-powered app is HIPAA compliant and based on 20 years of clinical data.
K Health articles are all written and reviewed by MDs, PhDs, NPs, or PharmDs and are for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute and should not be relied on for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.
K Health has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references.
What Is The Best Antibiotic For Tooth Infection Treatment
In many cases, antibiotics from the penicillin class, including penicillin and amoxicillin, are the best antibiotics for tooth infection. But that doesn’t mean these are the right choices for everyone! In fact, antibiotics may not be what you need even If you have a tooth infection.
You should never take an antibiotic without a prescription from your dentist or doctor. Many people take antibiotics without a prescription, and this is leading to antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
That means that some bacterial infections can no longer be treated with antibiotics which is a scary thought!
Instead of antibiotics, your dentist may decide that the best course of action is to drain your abscess, perform a root canal, or possibly remove the infected tooth.
That being said, you are more likely to receive antibiotics for a tooth infection when your infection is severe and spreading or if you are an individual with a weakened immune system.
The best antibiotic for a tooth infection will depend on the type of bacteria that is causing your infection and the location of your infection. That’s because different classes of antibiotics work in different ways to fight bacteria.
This is one of the reasons why it’s essential to take the antibiotic exactly as prescribed by your dentist until you’ve finished your prescribed course of treatment. Your dentist or doctor will know which is the best drug to take for your infection based on your medical history and the type of infection.
You May Like: Over The Counter Meds For Bladder Infection
What Is The Prescribed Amount
For your tooth infection, youll need to take a 7-day treatment course. During the treatment days, your doctor or dentist will prescribe doses 6 hours apart.The dose may have 1-2 capsules. Be careful about following the instructions as it can impact the treatment.Its your choice. You can take a dose of Clindamycin before eating a meal or afterward. Taking the capsule with a glass of water can help prevent throat irritation.
Can You Be Allergic To Clindamycin
Allergic reactions rarely happen after taking Clindamycin. If youre experiencing rashes, visit your doctor or dentist. You may have a drug allergy.Its out of common, but Clindamycin can also cause anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening reaction.If Clindamycin doesnt suit you, youll most probably experience allergic symptoms within 30 minutes following the drug intake.
- itchy hives
- swollen throat, making it difficult to breathe or swallow
- tightness in chest
- vomiting
- sense of impending doom
An anaphylactic reaction to Clindamycin will rarely occur, but you should know about the signs so you can call for a medical emergency.
Also Check: Does Tooth Infection Cause Headaches
Medications That May Cause Tooth Discoloration
Why might one member of your family have darker teeth than everyone else? Check the medicine cabinet some prescriptions can turn teeth colors, from unflattering yellow to unusual blue.
Antihistamines, antihypertensive drugs and antipsychotics have all been linked to discolored teeth. These drugs are thought to interfere with healthy mouth conditions. For example, antihistamines inhibit saliva production. Saliva plays a critical role in ridding the mouth of stain-causing debris. Fortunately, these types of stains can usually be removed by a dentist.
Some medications may cause surface stains on teeth. Examples include:
- Chlorohexidine: an antiseptic found in prescription-strength mouthwash
- Amoxicillin: a commonly prescribed antibiotic
- Prescription-strength iron supplements: often used to treat anemia
The worst offenders of teeth discoloration are medications that actually alter the structure and composition of teeth:
Antibiotic Prophylaxis For Dental Work
Your dentist may prescribe preventative antibiotics for certain dental services or before the treatment of your dental infection this is called antibiotic prophylaxis.
During certain dental treatments, the bacteria that reside in your mouth may enter the bloodstream, and prophylactic antibiotics can prevent infection.
Don’t Miss: What Antibiotics Are Prescribed For Tooth Infection
What Other Drugs Will Affect Clindamycin
Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you take, which may increase side effects or make the medications less effective.
Other drugs may affect clindamycin, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.
Do I Need Antibiotics Before My Dental Appointment
May 26, 2017 / Caitlin Batchelor
Taking steps to prepare for your dental appointment is a responsible approach to your dental health. For basic dental treatments, this includes simple things like regular brushing and flossing. For other treatments, and for patients with certain conditions, this could include taking antibiotics.
Theres been a lot of debate in the dental and healthcare community about when it is appropriate to use antibiotics before dental treatment. Overall, the group of patients who meet the guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis is very small. However, its still important to examine how antibiotics are used in dentistry today.
Also Check: Why Do I Get Bladder Infection After Intercourse
Clindamycin May Cause Side Effects Tell Your Doctor If Any Of These Symptoms Are Severe Or Do Not Go Away:
- nausea
- unpleasant or metallic taste in the mouth
- joint pain
- swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
- yellowing of the skin or eyes
Clindamycin may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online or by phone .
What Should I Discuss With My Healthcare Provider Before Using Clindamycin
You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to clindamycin or lincomycin.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- colitis, Crohn’s disease, or other intestinal disorder
- eczema, or allergic skin reaction
- asthma or a severe allergic reaction to aspirin
- liver disease or
- an allergy to yellow food dye.
It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Clindamycin can pass into breast milk and may cause side effects in the nursing baby. If you are breastfeeding while taking this medicine, call your doctor if your baby has diaper rash, redness or white patches in the mouth or throat, stomach discomfort, or diarrhea that is watery or bloody.
Clindamycin injection may contain an ingredient that can cause serious side effects or death in very young or premature babies. Do not give this medicine to a child without medical advice.
You May Like: How To Use Monistat 7 For Female Yeast Infection
Dental Trauma And Infection
If your older child’s teeth become dislodged due to trauma, the dentist may prescribe tetracycline.
However, tetracycline can cause permanent tooth discoloring when a child’s dentin is still being formed, also called tetracycline teeth, so children under 12 will be prescribed something else in most cases, like penicillin V or amoxicillin. Topical antibiotics may also be used to help with gum healing.
What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture . Do not refrigerate clindamycin liquid because it may thicken and become hard to pour. Dispose of any unused clindamycin liquid after 2 weeks.
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.
Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.
Also Check: Quick Home Remedies For Sinus Infection
Is Clindamycin Safe For Everyone
Even if youre pregnant or breastfeeding, Clindamycin is safe for you. If you are breastfeeding, consult your doctor if your child has diarrhea or diaper rash.Before starting the course of Clindamycin for your tooth infection, discuss with your dentist if you had any allergic reactions to the medicine previously. Also, tell your provider if you have a digestive issue that causes diarrhea.Clindamycin can create problems with some medications, so tell your doctor if you are taking the following:
- erythromycin
- muscle relaxants
What Other Information Should I Know
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain lab tests to check your body’s response to clindamycin.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Your prescription is probably not refillable. If you still have symptoms of infection after you finish the clindamycin, call your doctor.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
You May Like: Types Of Antibiotics For Bladder Infection
Can Clindamycin Cause Problems
Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with clindamycin. You will find a full list in the manufacturer’s information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.
Clindamycin side-effects | |
If this becomes troublesome or severe, let your doctor know | |
Throat irritation | Remember to take the capsules with a full glass of water. If the irritation becomes troublesome, speak with your doctor |
If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to clindamycin, speak with your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
When Is The Use Of Antibiotics In Dentistry Appropriate
There is a select group of patients who may benefit from antibiotic prophylaxis prior to a dental appointment. What patients and conditions are included in this group has been debated for years within the American Dental Association, the Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, and the American Heart Association.
Don’t Miss: Yeast Infection Uncircumcised Male Treatment
Important Information About All Medicines
Never take more than the prescribed dose. If you suspect that you or someone else might have taken an overdose of this medicine, go to the accident and emergency department of your local hospital. Take the container with you, even if it is empty. This medicine is for you. Never give it to other people even if their condition appears to be the same as yours. If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are suitable to take with your other medicines. If you are having an operation or any dental treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment which medicines you are taking. Do not keep out-of-date or unwanted medicines. Take them to your local pharmacy which will dispose of them for you. If you have any questions about this medicine, ask your pharmacist. |
When Might You Need Antibiotics For A Toothache
When you have a toothache or dental infection that is causing you pain, how can you find relief? In some cases, your dentist may prescribe an antibiotic. It may seem odd to take the same medicine for a toothache that you might take for a respiratory or ear infection. However, all infections even those in the mouth, have something in common: They are caused by bacteria. That said, not all toothaches require antibiotics, so your dentist will decide when they are or arent needed.
You May Like: How To Avoid A Yeast Infection While Taking Antibiotics
How Are Antibiotics Used In Dentistry
There are two ways in which antibiotics are used in dentistry.
First, antibiotics are used to treat dental infections – think dental abscesses or swelling related to a gum infection. However, antibiotics are not often curative in dentistry but instead are used as a temporary measure until treatment can be performed. In most cases, the infected tooth, gum, or tissue needs to be dealt with in another way, such as with dental extraction, root canal therapy, or deep cleaning of the gums.
The second way antibiotics are used in dentistry are as premedication prior to dental treatment. Antibiotics can be used in this way to help prevent certain rare infections in a small group of patients.
Overall, antibiotics have a very limited use in dentistry, but in my opinion tend to be over-used.
Clindamycin For Tooth Infection: How Effective Is It
If you have a tooth infection, your dentist will prescribe you antibiotic treatment most probably Clindamycin. It comes under the category of lincosamide antibiotics that treat infections caused by bacteria, including teeth infections.Clindamycin is usually given in the oral form, but for severe teeth infections, antibiotics in intravenous form work best.Delaying the treatment for tooth infections can make things worse. So, its vital to make sure you are fully aware of the recommended treatment plan.Keep reading to learn about the effectiveness of Clindamycin for tooth infection.
You May Like: Chances Of Getting Hiv From Infected Needle
What Form Does This Medication Come In
150 mg Each opaque maroon cap and opaque amethyst body, hard gelatin capsule, printed “N” and “150” in white ink on opposing cap and body portions of the capsule, contains 150 mg of clindamycin. Nonmedicinal ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, cornstarch, D& C Red No. 33, D& C Yellow No. 10, FD& C Blue No. 1, FD& C Red No. 3, FD& C Red No. 40, gelatin, lactose, magnesium stearate, sodium lauryl sulfate, talc, and titanium dioxide.
300 mg Each opaque light blue cap and opaque light blue body, hard gelatin capsule, printed “N” and “300” in white ink on opposing cap and body portions of the capsule, contains 300 mg of clindamycin. Nonmedicinal ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, cornstarch, FD& C Blue No. 1, gelatin, lactose, magnesium stearate, sodium lauryl sulfate, talc, and titanium dioxide.
Are There Any Other Precautions Or Warnings For This Medication
Before you begin using a medication, be sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions or allergies you may have, any medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breast-feeding, and any other significant facts about your health. These factors may affect how you should use this medication.
Antibiotic-related diarrhea: As with other antibiotics, clindamycin can cause a severe form of diarrhea associated with a condition known as pseudomembranous colitis. If you develop severe diarrhea while taking this medication, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Bacterial resistance: Misuse of an antibiotic such as clindamycin may lead to the growth of resistant bacteria that will not be killed by the antibiotic. If this happens, the antibiotic may not work for you in the future. Although you may begin to feel better early in your course of treatment with clindamycin, you need to take the full course exactly as directed to finish ridding your body of the infection and to prevent resistant bacteria from taking hold. Do not take clindamycin or other antibiotics to treat a viral infection such as the common cold antibiotics do not kill viruses, and using them to treat viral infections can lead to the growth of resistant bacteria.
Breast-feeding: This medication passes into breast milk. If you are breast-feeding and are taking clindamycin, it may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about whether you should continue breast-feeding.
Also Check: Can Amoxicillin Be Used For Tooth Infection
Is Antibiotic Premedication Right For Me
Taking antibiotics before dental treatment is really only necessary for a select group of people. Talk to your dentist and healthcare providers about antibiotics and your dental treatment to see if premedication is right for you.
At Dr. Batchelors office, were here to answer all of our patients’ questions before, during, and after treatment. If youre in the Harrisonburg area, Dr. Batchelor and her team can work with you to help you prepare for your next appointment.
Clindamycin For Tooth Infection: Benefits & Side Effects
An infected tooth is an emergency, and treatment for the infection should not be delayed.
Not only can the pain be severe, especially while eating or drinking, but a dental infection can soon lead to an abscessed tooth and other complications.
Fortunately, tooth infections can usually be treated by a course of antibiotics before they develop into abscesses.
One common treatment is clindamycin, an antibiotic that is used by enough patients worldwide to be on the World Health Organization Model List of Essential Medicines.
Clindamycin is particularly valuable for the millions of people who are allergic to or intolerant of penicillin or penicillin-based antibiotics like amoxicillin.
In this article Ill explain how to know when a toothache is actually an infection, and when you see a doctor.
Ill discuss when clindamycin may be appropriate for tooth infection.
Ill also help you determine whether or not clindamycin is the right antibiotic to help with your infection, and talk about who is best suited for a prescription of this antibioticand who should avoid it.
Read Also: Can Yeast Infection Spread To Eyes