# Wisdom Teeth and how to avoid antibiotics



## Colt (May 5, 2011)

Okay, so I may have to have my wisdom teeth removed. My issue is that I refuse to take any antibiotics for fear they will further aggravate my symptoms. Everyone I talk to was prescribed ABT's after removal.

I have endured other infections to avoid ABT's so I sure don't want them now.

What are my options here??


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## zeroblue (Aug 7, 2013)

I also want an answer to this haha

some of my friends tell me they weren't given any antibiotics at all :O


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## Nojokeibs (Apr 14, 2014)

Colt said:


> Okay, so I may have to have my wisdom teeth removed. My issue is that I refuse to take any antibiotics for fear they will further aggravate my symptoms. Everyone I talk to was prescribed ABT's after removal.
> 
> I have endured other infections to avoid ABT's so I sure don't want them now.
> 
> What are my options here??


fwiw, I wasn't given antibiotics at all, just painkillers. Those were nasty enough, but I learned my lesson. Don't be so brave that you don't take painkillers, go pale and pass out. I was very vigilant with salty water and later on with the antibacterial swish they gave me though. I also used some peroxide that wasn't discussed, at half strength. I used a liquid diet much longer than I needed to because the holes kept clogging whenever I ate "real food." It's not that much of a bother to put your dinner in a blender once you're in the habit.


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## Colt (May 5, 2011)

Thanks, Nojoke....

Zero, maybe we will get other options here. This forum is awesome.


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## Nojokeibs (Apr 14, 2014)

I had it done at a teaching/university type of place. The guy who did it was a DMD. They claim it makes no difference, but I'm middle aged and I've had enough experience to know better.


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## Colt (May 5, 2011)

Nojokeibs said:


> I had it done at a teaching/university type of place. The guy who did it was a DMD. They claim it makes no difference, but I'm middle aged and I've had enough experience to know better.


From what I gather, most people do need ABT after the surgery. That is not something I am willing to do until I am absolutely in excruciating pain. If my IBS were to get any worse, I simply do not think I could go on.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Maybe since mine were erupted and just pulled it was different, but I don't recall antibiotics after them (or other teeth I had pulled to make room for braces).

It may depend on the situation of your wisdom teeth.


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## Colt (May 5, 2011)

I wonder if they could prescribe Rifaximim...I can kill two birds with one stone.


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## Nojokeibs (Apr 14, 2014)

LOL, I doubt if that would be the right drug for bacteria in the mouth. Also fwiw, the time from when you feel excruciating pain to when you are dead from an infection that starts in your head (and is virulent and uncontrolled) is only about 24 hours, if that. If you live alone and pass out before you can get to the ER, then die, the dentist is likely to be prosecuted for manslaughter (if they acceded to your request to have no antibiotics). Consider their feelings too. Imagine if you'd killed someone like that.

One way to reduce the likelihood of infection might be to get your teeth cleaned a week before, and already be using the antibiotic swish every day. But I'm still not sure that every dentist will agree to not give you antibiotics. There is a very real risk of death if the infection reaches a sinus that presses on the brain, or reaches the brain itself. I didn't ask for "no antibiotics", they just said it wasn't necessary this time and didn't explain much. Maybe they had some fancy procedure like cauterizing the wound? I have no idea, but there definitely wasn't a big blood clot to worry about, which is what I was expecting. Just an annoying hole that food got trapped in. It took over a year for the hole to seal up completely (my Wolverine healing factor stopped working at around age 30, lol).


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## bushja1 (Apr 23, 2003)

Man, I think would just suffer the consequenses and take the anti-biotics. I've had lots of dental problems and many times my dentist won't work on me until I've been on antibiotics for a few days. He says that if you have an infection, the novocaine or linocane, what ever they use now , won't be effective and the pain will be really bad. I realize that having wisdom teeth removed usually involves been knocked out, but still....nothing worse that an infected socket.


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