Antibiotic therapy--managing odontogenic infections

• Published in: The Dental clinics of North America Vol. 46; no. 4; p. 623
• Main Authors: Swift, James Q, Gulden, Wendy S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.10.2002
• Subjects: Abscess - therapy; Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Anti-Infective Agents - therapeutic use; Bacterial Infections - diagnosis; Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; Bacterial Infections - surgery; Clindamycin; Combined Modality Therapy; Contraindications; Dental Fistula - therapy; Drainage; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Utilization; Humans; Mouth Diseases - diagnosis; Mouth Diseases - microbiology; Mouth Diseases - surgery; Penicillins - administration & dosage; Penicillins - therapeutic use; Risk Factors; Tooth Diseases - diagnosis; Tooth Diseases - microbiology; Tooth Diseases - surgery; Toothache - therapy
• ISSN: 0011-8532; 1558-0512
• DOI: 10.1016/S0011-8532(02)00031-9

Several pharmaceuticals have been developed in the past 10 years that have made a significant impact on the health of the human race. There have been few advances, however, that have proved more efficacious than the pharmacotherapies we have had available for many decades for the treatment of odontogenic infections. Many new antibiotics/antimicrobials have been developed, but none have been determined to be of significant benefit to replace or supplant the use of penicillins for the management of orofacial infections caused by pathogens in and around the oral cavity. Judicious use of antibiotics in conjunction with surgical therapy is the most appropriate method to treat odontogenic infections. Using the antibiotic "du jour," many times promoted by pharmaceutical representatives, results in costly and unnecessary complexity of care. A return to the basics is indicated for the antibiotic management of odontogenic infections.