“Do you need antibiotics after a root canal?”
I am a 41 year old male. I will have a root canal on two teeth. Do you need antibiotics after a root canal?
5 Answers
In most cases, no antibiotics are not needed after a root canal. According to the AAE and ADA Guidelines, antibiotics are typically recommended only for patients who are immunocompromised or for a spreading/systemic infection.
Usually, antibiotics are not required for root canal treatment. If the root canal can be properly cleaned out and sterilized, then no need for antibiotics. If it is being treated in more than one visit, your endodontist would put medication inside the tooth. If you have medicine in the tooth, why put it in your stomach? Pain meds are often recommended - OTC - Advil, Aleve, etc. (Anti-inflammatories are best, with or without Tylenol.)
Not always. It depends on the presence of infection.
If the tooth is necrotic and there is regional pain and swelling an antibiotic can aid the immune system in tackling the infection in conjunction with the root canal treatment
It depends. If there is infection in the root or bone of your tooth, then yes, you should take antibiotics after the root canal, but if there is no infection, then antibiotics usually are not necessary.
