Antibiotics for a
Tooth Infection

tooth infection

But don't panic just yet! If you're reading this, the chances are that you've just got a sore tooth at this point, and want to find out what the cause is, and what you can do about it. Can you get antibiotics online without seeing a doctor or dentist?

If you are in the USA, you can get antibiotics online at JustAnswer - use my link to go to the JustAnswer website, and mark your qustion for the attention of Dr Richard. If I am not available, another dentist will respond.

Antibiotics for a Tooth Infection

As we've seen, the main symptoms of any abscessed tooth are pain and swelling. You can read more about this at Tooth Abscess Symptoms.

Nearly always, when treating an abscess caused by a dead tooth, antibiotics will be needed. But antibiotics are not the whole solution. If you rely on antibiotics and nothing else, the infection will come back.

To find out what else is involved, take a look at Tooth Abscess Treatment.

facial swelling

ANY tooth can die and get infected, or get a gum infection next to it.

RARELY, this can spread and lead to a Jaw Bone Infection. This can also happen after a tooth is extracted. To read more about this, go to Jaw Bone Infection.

But there are two other types of tooth infection that only happen to specific teeth;

1. Wisdom teeth infection. This is a gum infection around a wisdom tooth that is coming through. The wisdom tooth itself is healthy, but as it grows through the gum, the gum can get pretty sore.

This is normal. At this stage there's no infection, you're just "teething". But what if the wisdom tooth is coming through at an angle, and gets jammed against the next tooth?

Dentists call it "impacted". Check out the wisdom teeth link above for more.

Also, you can get an infection in the gum over a wisdom tooth that is growing in straight. You can find out more about this at Pericoronitis.

2. If you get a tooth taken out, you can get a Tooth Extraction Infection, or a dry socket.

What a drag! You get a tooth pulled because it's causing a problem, and you still end up with pain! How can this happen? Find out more by clicking on the link.

Antibiotics for a Tooth Infection

Where do these infections come from? There are several possibilities.

Your mouth is full of bacteria. Mostly, the good guys live in balance with the bad guys. But sometimes the "bad guys" get the upper hand.

This happens when the bugs find somewhere to hide, where your immune system can't reach them (inside a dead tooth), or under a flap of gum where saliva, mouthwashes and brushes can't go. If your immune system can't get to the bacteria, then they have a chance to breed and set up an infection.

Normally, the symptoms of a tooth infection include discomfort or even pain, a swollen gum, and if you look carefully, you'll probably see that the gum is red.

Most tooth infections or gum infections hurt. But ONE type doesn't. Which is bad, because you don't know anything is wrong!

This is gum disease (periodontal disease).

This is probably the least painful of all the tooth infections, but it is also the most destructive because it frequently goes untreated. This can result in many teeth getting loose, and having to be pulled.

It's caused by plaque collecting at the necks of the teeth, next to the gum edge, and also in between the teeth. If this is not brushed and flossed off every day, the bacteria in the plaque start to attack the gums.

But as we said, it's painless. So you don't know anything's wrong. You just carry on brushing your teeth the same old way! Find out more at Causes of gum disease.

So, a tooth infection can lead to a tooth abscess. Once this happens, the abscessed tooth can get worse. If you don't get it treated, it may become a medical emergency. But 99% of tooth infections never get that far. They are painful enough to force you to get treatment sooner rather than later!

Antibiotics for a tooth infection include the following;

• Penicillin V
• Amoxicillin
• Clamoxyl
• Erythromycin
• Clindamycin
• Metronidazole (Flagyl)

Sometimes, these antibiotics for a tooth infection can be combined, such as Amoxicillin with Metronidazole. This combination has a synergistic effect, which means that the 2 antibiotics work together to produce an effect MORE than simply adding the 2 antibiotics together.

Read more about this at my page on the different antibotics.

Remember to check out my top recommended electric toothbrush, which has the best performance and a great price at Amazon - the Cybersonic 3 brush.

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