antibiotics after wisdom tooth extraction
 

last wednesday, i had my wisdom teeth removed (they were not impacted but all had cavities) but no infection, fairly easy removal. i feel pretty good overall!

my problem is, after the surgery, i was prescribed antibiotics by the oral surgeon. clindamycin, that i took the day of the surgery and had a horrible upset stomach. i called the office, and the dentist prescribed amoxcillian instead. i took that and whoa, was my anxiety ever so terrible. i literally was shaking, and crying and felt horrible overall.

under the direction of the dentist (not the oral surgeon), i was advised to stop the antibiotics on friday. today i went in, and the dentist said everything looks okay, no infection, and i feel good, etc.

my question is, am i still really at risk for getting an infection by not taking the antibiotics? i'm doing the salt water rinses and using the prescription mouthwash. i really want to take them, but i just have severe anxiety about it. am i less likely to get an infection since i had an easy extraction?

i know antibiotics aren't always prescribed after wisdom teeth extractions...but should i ask to try something else? i haven't taken antibiotics since i was a kid (now i'm 30), besides a z-pack a few years ago, which i don't remember having any bad reaction to. is it worth it at this point (5 days post extraction)

any support/advice is appreciated...

Hi jayp,

Antibiotics can affect people in different ways. So if you don't have to take them, then don't. If you feel well and your dentist said everything looks good clinically.... then just continue with the warm salt water rinses until the holes close completely. Do not use any over the counter mouthwash that contains alcohol, chemicals, dyes or preservatives in it. Brush thoroughly and floss as well as you can to keep the plaque down. Stick with a soft food diet for another week or so to avoid moving your jaw too much.

A note about antibiotics causing stomach problems at the onset of using them ..... this can indicate that your intestinal flora (bacteria) are out of balance to begin with. You could benefit from taking a daily probiotic to restore the good bacteria in your gut. For optimal health, most people require a probiotic supplement because their diet is lacking in good bacteria which disrupts the balance leading to digestive, intestinal and candida problems.

I hope this information is helpful to you.
Bryanna

thanks so much bryanna! i will look into probiotics. my dentist also felt it was not necessary to try a different antibiotic - however:

what are some concerning signs of possible infection if i were to get it?

am i "out of the woods" of getting an infection once the holes heal over?

i'm paranoid about osteomyletis too.

the one thing i notice is that my voicebox seems sore, like i coudln't sing or make high pitches if i wanted to. i'm assuming this is normal?

Hi jayp,

FYI Re probiotics..... a good one to try is called Culturelle. It can found at many food stores and drug stores.

There are many signs of oral infection... some are swelling, hot or throbbing feeling in the area that is infected, fever, fatigue, foul breath odor, etc.

Some oral infections do not have symptoms at the onset. So it's always best to to be real careful to take really good care of the wounds and follow the post operative protocol until the sites have closed.

Osteomyelitis can occur after the holes have closed if there is bacteria residing in the bone. However, this is not something you need to focus on as the chances of that occurring are very low especially in a case such as yours.

It is a bit odd that your voice box would be sore or that you would be unable to make high pitch noises since the surgery. Even if you had IV sedation, there is usually no need to intubate the patient unless there are some extenuating circumstances. Did you have IV sedation?

If you have not done anything to cause this soreness, you might want to see your physician if it gets worse or does not improve in a day or two.

Bryanna

thanks bryanna. i think my voice is okay i feel it better today.

a new problem though, i have a small red spot on my cheek outside of where my lower wisdom tooth was taken out. i'm assuming this is some sort of bruising, but not sure why it would happen nearly a week later. :confused:

does this happen so long after - i know it's still healing, and this is the side that has caused me a little more pain. should i be worried about infection?

Hi jayp,

If the spot is on the outside of your face then it is most likely a bruise. If it is on the inside of your cheek it can be a bruise or a canker sore. Just be sure to keep the areas clean and keep rinsing well with warm salt water.

Bryanna

sorry to keep bothering you, but is it safe for me (almost 1 week after extraction) to use the irrigation thing? my instructions said i could use it after 3 days, but i' haven't been using it out of fear of dry socket.

i did use it a little today, but that thing squirts out really fast! it was hard to do it "gently" no matter how hard i tried. so i got scared and now afraid to use it because of dry socket.

i haven't even really eaten anything that would get really stuck in my sites anyways, pretty much i've been living off ensure shakes, yogurt, oatmeal, and ice cream. =/

jayp,

It is not necessary to use the irrigation syringe unless you feel you have something caught in one of the sockets. If you are healing well.... then I would continue with soft foods and warm salt water rinses.

You really should be eating more nutritious foods. FYI... Ensure is not nutritious as it contains nothing but chemicals. Some soft food ideas are eggs, boiled chicken (in soup), cooked beans, hummus, avocados, mashed sweet potatoes, well cooked veggies, baked fish, home made fruit smoothies .... just do not use a straw.

Bryanna

i have a couple more questions - i am now 11 days post op, and feeling better although i have a stitch still in the lower socket that is bothering me. i'm worried it won't dissolve or fall out - is this a legitimate concern? that the socket will heal with the stitch still in there?

also, i keep reading conflicting things - some things that says food that gets stuck in the socket can become infected if/when the gum grows over it. other things i read said gums form from the bottom-up, so if there is food in there, it won't impact the healing process and fall out on its own. what is it!?

i'm soo looking forward to eating a normal diet again.

i still have holes in the extraction sites, and anxious when they're gonna fill so i can stop panicking about an infection!

Hi jayp,

The stitch will come out on it's own. If it is still there 2 weeks post op then have the dentist remove it. A stitch that is embedded in the tissue can cause unnecessary inflammation.... so after 2 full weeks it's usually okay to remove it.

Food that gets embedded in a open socket can lead to an infection. In most cases the tissue inside of the socket closes in from the sides and up from the bottom. This is the body's way of keeping the site closed off before the top closes over. If you were to keep disturbing the tissue from forming by vigorous rinsing with a syringe then the hole will stay open longer.

Best to eat carefully until the top portion of the socket is closed over.

Bryanna