What Are Prophylactic Antibiotics and Do I Need Them?
Contributed by DentalROISometimes dentists recommend a dose of antibiotic before dental treatment. Here’s why.
You may have a family member or friend mention that they take a dose of antibiotics before dental procedures. Have you ever wondered why?
Everyone has bacteria in their mouth. During certain dental procedures, there is a risk of bacteria from the mouth entering the bloodstream. For most healthy patients, this occurrence, called bacteremia, is no cause for concern as our bodies’ immune systems react quickly and kill the bacteria. For some patients though, the bacteria can travel to other parts of the body and cause potentially life-threatening infections like endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of your heart chambers and valves.