Antibiotics before dental appts after surgery??

[titaniumed]

For my fellow bionic forum members....

PREVENTION OF INFECTION IN PROSTHETIC DEVICES

Click “look inside” to continue reading.
Ed

http://www.springerlink.com/content/wwj34x5j35507605/

[Marina63]

Antibiotics for dental visits

OK, just got back from the dentist and had to reschedule my appt because I needed to be on an antibiotic for a teeth cleaning. I told them right away about my surgery and the hygienist called my surgeon's office to find out. The dentist office was told that I need to be on antibiotics for a year post surgery. They gave me a prescription for amoxicillin and rescheduled my appt.

[JDM555]

You needed to be ON antibiotics for a whole year? I'm assuming you mean that you needed to be on antibiotics whenever you visit a dentist during the first year post-op correct? I've been to the dentist like 3 times, and wasn't aware I needed antibiotics. I was nearly 1 year and 8 months post-op though. I'll keep that in mind for future dentist appointments though.

[CAmomof2]

Interesting.... my Dentist makes me take antibiotics an hour before dental appts. because I have a heart murmur. He said it was because of bacteria released from the mouth. He has a sign posted in his office to let them know of any medical changes, surgeries etc. before the appointment.
I'll have to let them know of our daughter's upcoming surgery.

[Marina63]

Antibiotics

You needed to be ON antibiotics for a whole year? I'm assuming you mean that you needed to be on antibiotics whenever you visit a dentist during the first year post-op correct? I've been to the dentist like 3 times, and wasn't aware I needed antibiotics. I was nearly 1 year and 8 months post-op though. I'll keep that in mind for future dentist appointments though.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I am to take the antibiotics an hour before my appt and must do that every time I go to the dentist for a year after my surgery. If I had to be on them all the time, I would not do it.

[loves to skate]

Doesn't anybody including Doctors and Dentists read the information on the American Dental Association's web site? Only people with joint replacements or serious heart conditions need to take antibiotics prior to dental work. People with heart murmurs and spine inplants no longer need to take antibiotics before dental work. Research has proven it is not necessary!
Sally

[JDM555]

Doesn't anybody including Doctors and Dentists read the information on the American Dental Association's web site? Only people with joint replacements or serious heart conditions need to take antibiotics prior to dental work. People with heart murmurs and spine inplants no longer need to take antibiotics before dental work. Research has proven it is not necessary!
Sally

That's good to hear. I was never told I had to take antibiotics at all post-op for anything. So this was definitely something new to me. I'm glad if there's research to show it's not necessary, just puts my mind at ease for upcoming surgeries/dentist visits.

[titaniumed]

This is off the SRS site.....

If I have a spinal fusion, will I need antibiotics before dental work?
This question is controversial. It refers to the possibility of infection in spine implants after dental work. However, there are efforts underway to develop formal guidelines regarding the use of prophylactic antibiotics before dental work in patients who have previously had spine implants inserted in their backs.

Please talk with your spine surgeon about this before having dental work.

http://www.srs.org/patient_and_famil..._scoliosis.htm

Is there still that remote possiblilty? Hmm.....

Ed

[loves to skate]

This is off the SRS site.....

If I have a spinal fusion, will I need antibiotics before dental work?
This question is controversial. It refers to the possibility of infection in spine implants after dental work. However, there are efforts underway to develop formal guidelines regarding the use of prophylactic antibiotics before dental work in patients who have previously had spine implants inserted in their backs.

Please talk with your spine surgeon about this before having dental work.

http://www.srs.org/patient_and_famil..._scoliosis.htm

Is there still that remote possiblilty? Hmm.....

Ed

I wonder when this was last updated.
Sally

[titaniumed]

Sally,

I don’t know, but they do have an active site.

After you read about patients that have had staph and the multiple surgeries that they do with scraping rods, it seems to make more sense to be extra vigilant on this decision. It’s a surgeons and patients nightmare.

It doesn’t happen often, but we had a patient here on NSF post about this and she is a local from my area......I think it was about 9 surgeries and a few years later that things mellowed out.

The best defense is a STRONG immune system. Have dental work done BEFORE surgery, that way you don’t have to worry about it for a long time. This makes the most sense.

Ed

[peachrush7]

My surgeon said to take them if I had a cleaning appointment during the first 3 months post-op. After that he said it was nothing to worry about. He said it used to be more of an issue with some of the older metals they used. My dentist was very concerned though and made me double check. I don't think dentists know the updates/advances we've had in scoliosis fusion.