Will Keflex Treat Tooth Infection

Dosage: How Much Keflex Should I Take

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor’s orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For oral dosage forms :
• For infections:
• Adults and children 15 years of age and olderâ1000 to 4000 milligrams per day, taken in divided doses.
• Children 1 year of age and olderâDose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The dose is usually 25 to 100 milligrams per kilogram per day, taken in divided doses.
• Children younger than 1 year of ageâUse and dose must be determined by your doctor.

What Is A Root Canal

A root canal is an endodontic treatment that extracts theinner layer of your tooth called the pulp. Your tooth is sterilized and sealedbefore a custom-made crown is bonded over it. Although they have a bad reputationfor being painful, new advancements in dentistry make them no worse than adental filling.

Dont wait until its too late to save your tooth. Contactyour dentist for immediate care.

About Exceptional Dentistry & Sedation Center

Are you asking, where is an emergency dentist near me?Look no further. Our team of dentists provides the exceptional dental care you deserveusing advanced services, like root canal therapy. If youre nervous about thetreatment, we offer sedation dentistry. If you have an infected tooth, contact our officetoday for an appointment.

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Why Antibiotics Dont Cure Tooth Infections

Oral health is vitally important to your overall health. When you are suffering from a tooth infection, you may want an easy solution, such as a course of antibiotics. However, antibiotics wont cure your tooth infection.

Oral bacterial infections cause abscesses, which are small pockets of pus and dead tissue in the mouth. Often times they look like swollen tissue or a pimple on your gums. This usually occurs near the base of the tooth where the roots are. Tooth decay due to poor oral hygiene, failing dental work, trauma or a cracked tooth are ways bacteria can infect your tooth. When bacteria enter the roots, they use your nerve tissue and blood vessels as a food source. They begin to multiply and spread, and the result is a dental infection.

At this point, most patients believe antibiotics are necessary, however, your endodontist knows differently. Due to the anatomy of the tooth, bacteria become trapped in the roots. Without proper cleaning, such as through root canal therapy, the infection will remain and potentially spread to the jaw or even the brain. A draining, cleaning, or possibly even tooth extraction is needed to fully remove a bacterial tooth infection.

Why not antibiotics? There are several reasons antibiotics alone will not cure the infection. The blood vessels that once supplied the inside of the tooth with your bodys antibacterial defenses have been destroyed. Therefore, the antibiotics cannot reach the inside of the tooth to cure your infection.

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What Is Keflex And What Is It Used For

Cephalexin belongs to a class of antibiotics called cephalosporins. They are similar to penicillin in action and side effects. They stop or slow the growth of bacterial cells by preventing bacteria from forming the cell wall that surrounds each cell. The cell wall protects bacteria from the external environment and keeps the contents of the cell together, and without a cell wall, bacteria are not able to survive. Bacteria that are susceptible to cephalexin include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, E. coli and several others. Cephalexin was approved by the FDA in January 1971.

Cephalexin is used to treat infections caused by bacteria that are susceptible to the effects of cephalexin. Common infections that cephalexin is used for include:

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What Is Keflex Used For

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Keflex to treat the following infections caused by susceptible gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria:

• Urinary tract infections

Keflex works by killing bacteria causing your infection. It is effective against most gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Pneumococcus bacteria. However, Keflex can also act against certain gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis .

Keflex is not used to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections or viral infections such as the common cold or flu. Using antibiotics when they are not needed can lead to their decreased effectiveness and increase your risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment.

Verywell / Zoe Hansen

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Antibiotics For Tooth Infection: What You Should Know

Edmund Khoo, DDS, is board-certified in orthodontics. He teaches full-time as a clinical associate professor at his alma mater, New York University College of Dentistry, is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, and serves on advisory boards for the American Dental Education Association.

A tooth infection is a pocket of pus caused by the proliferation of bacteria. Usually, an abscess appears in the pulpthe soft, living tissue inside a tooth.

A periapical abscess develops from an infection in the pulp that forms an abscess at the root of a tooth, while a periodontal abscess develops between the tooth and the surrounding gum tissue.

Symptoms of a tooth infection may include a severe toothache, sensitivity to heat and cold, swollen glands, swelling in the gums, foul-smelling breath, and pain while chewing. If the infection spreads to the surrounding bones, it may become life-threatening.

Your dentist may prescribe antibiotics to clear up your tooth infection. Learn more about antibiotics for tooth infections, including why they are used and how fast they work.

What Are The Main Differences Between Cephalexin And Amoxicillin

Cephalexin is a prescription medication used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. It is a first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic, which belongs under the larger classification of beta-lactam antibiotics. Cephalexin interferes with cell wall synthesis by binding penicillin-binding proteins inside the cellular wall. Ultimately, when cephalexin is dosed appropriately, it causes lysis, or destruction, or the bacterial cell. Different bacterial types contain different bacterial binding proteins, so cephalexins effectiveness varies with different types of bacteria.

Cephalexin is available as an oral tablet or capsule, as well as an oral suspension. The brand name of cephalexin is Keflex. It is used by infants, children, and adults.

Amoxicillin is a prescription medication also used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. It is a penicillin antibiotic but also falls under the larger classification of beta-lactam antibiotics. Amoxicillin, like cephalexin, interferes with cell wall synthesis by binding penicillin-binding proteins inside the cellular wall leading to the destruction of the bacterial cell.

Amoxicillin is available as an oral tablet or capsule, chewable tablet, as well as an oral suspension. The brand name of amoxicillin is Amoxil or Polymox. It is used by infants, children, and adults.

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Get To The Root Of It

If you have a fever, an infection may have spread beyond its original source and an antibiotic can help. If you have an infection that hasnt spread, it might be treatable at the original source. For example, a contained toothache probably wont require antibiotics, but you might need dental treatment, such as a root canal, depending on the severity of the infection.

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:

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Tooth Abscess: Common Questions And Answers

Is a tooth abscess an emergency?

It is difficult to predict how a dental infection will spread, so it is best to assume that a tooth abscess is an emergency. Any visible swelling in the gums, whether it causes pain or not, could be dangerous, and you should seek urgent dental care.

Can a tooth abscess go away on its own?

A tooth abscess will not go away on its own. If the abscess is not drained by a dentist, it can spread to other areas of your body, including the jaw, head, or neck.

How do I know if my tooth abscess is spreading?

Symptoms that a tooth abscess has spread to other parts of your body include fever, swelling, dehydration, increased heart rate, increased breathing rate, and stomach pain.

Is a tooth abscess hard or soft?

Most abscesses are soft and warm to the touch. However, they can be firm in some cases.

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.

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Clostridium Difficile Associated Diarrhea

Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea, referred to as CDAD, is a risk in all antibiotic therapy, including cephalexin and amoxicillin. Patients who present with diarrhea following antibiotic therapy should be evaluated for CDAD, and antibiotic therapy should be discontinued immediately if it is suspected. The severity of CDAD can range from mild diarrhea to severe or fatal colitis.It can happen up to two months after antibiotic therapy was initiated, so it is important to talk to your physician about all recent treatments, even if they are completed.

Clostridium difficile is a component of your gut flora, or the set of microorganisms living in your bowels. Normal bacterial balance keeps C. diff at a safe level, but antibiotic therapy can throw that balance off, leading to an overgrowth of C. diff. The overgrowth leads to inflammation of the gut lining, and typically diarrhea. In some cases this can be severe and life-threatening. If you begin to experience unexplained diarrhea and have recently had a course of antibiotics such as cephalexin and amoxicillin, consult with your healthcare provider immediately.

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 childrens 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 .

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Dosage For Skin And Skin Structure 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.

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Dosage Adjustments In Adult And Pediatric Patients At Least 15 Years Of Age With Renal Impairment

Administer the following dosing regimens for Keflex to patients with renal impairment .

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Are There Any Over

You should always see your dentist if you have a tooth infection. Your teeth are very close to your brain and a tooth infection can quickly spread to nearby areas and organs.

Antibiotics arent available without a prescription, but there are a few things you can do at home for relief before your appointment, such as:

• taking over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen
• gently rinsing your mouth with warm salt water
• avoiding hot or cold foods whenever possible
• trying to chew with the opposite side of your mouth
• brushing with a soft toothbrush around the affected tooth

Is Cephalexin Good For Tooth Infection

Yes, cephalexin is good for tooth infections like tooth abscesses and gum infections. It quickly works against infection and gives relief from severe pain. It will kill all bacteria in the mouth as it starts working even after one hour. But, one should not take this medicine without the consultation of a doctor.

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Can You Use Cephalexin For An Absessed Tooth

Asked

15 May 2013 by sthrone

DzooBaby

You should never HAVE left over antibiotics. Antibiotics should be taken in a full course to combat infection. When you do not take a full course, you risk several things. One is not getting rid of the infection. You might feel better but you may still have low grade infection that will come back in full force once you are off antibiotics for a while. Another thing that can happen is bacterial resistance. When you expose bacteria to an antibiotic but you dont kill it, it can develop resistance to the antibiotic so that it doesnt work the next time. This is why we are seeing so many resistant strains of bacteria The only reason someone may have left over antibiotics is if a Dr does a sensitivity test and finds out the antibiotic he started wasnt effective against the bacteria and so he changed to another antibiotic. It is rare for this to happen. So even if, for some reason, you have left over antibiotics, you likely dont have enough for a full course.

You dont want to start treating something and not have enough medication to kill the bacteria. You need to contact your dentist for a new prescription. Just because the gum is swollen, it may not mean it is infected. It could be something else. Only your dentist can tell you what antibiotic or other treatment to use.

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What Medications Are Similar

There are five generations of cephalosporin antibiotics, each of which has similar mechanisms of action but different types of antibacterial activity. Some of the drugs are taken by mouth, delivered by injection, or both. Keflex is a first-generation cephalosporin.

There are over 30 cephalosporin antibiotics approved for use by the FDA.

• First generation: Duricef , Keflin , and others
• Second generation: Ceftin , Cefzil , and others
• Third generation: Rocephin , Suprax , and others
• Fourth generation: Fetroja , Maxipime , and others
• Fifth generation: Teflaro and Zerbaxa

As a group, first-generation and fourth-generation cephalosporins work better against gram-positive bacteria. Second- and third-generation cephalosporins are often better suited to treat gram-negative bacteria, although this can vary from one antibiotic to the next.

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