tooth # 31 has an infection i was told by the dentist as well as tooth another tooth has a abcess my question is that would antiboidx clear up this infection i am going to have the tooth extracted but if there is an abcess/infection is it best to wait intill its cleared up before makeing the appomtment. ?

Hi CmacLeod3,

Antibiotics will not clear up an abcess from an infected tooth. The reason being is that these types of infections have many various strains of bacteria and the antibiotic cannot kill off all of them. So the tooth will still be infected after you are done with the antibiotic. Which in turn will keep reinfecting the jawbone. When this infection process goes on too long, it is then very hard to cure the infection in the jawbone. That condition is referred to as osteomyelitis. So to keep the tooth means to keep the infection.

It is a good idea to take an antibiotic a few days prior to the extraction to help minimize the intensiveness of the infection and then stay on the antibiotic for the duration of the prescription.

Bryanna