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Acute Odontogenic Infection


Spreading odontogenic infections without systemic or severe features

For antibiotic therapy of spreading odontogenic infections without systemic or severe features, use:


Option 1:

Metronidazole 400mg (child: 10mg/ kg up to 400mg) orally, 12 hourly for 5 days.

PLUS:

Phenoxymethylpenicillin 500mg (child: 12.5mg/kg up to 500mg) orally, 6 hourly for 5 days

Amoxicillin 500mg (child: 15 mg/kg up to 500mg) orally 8 - hourly for 5 days

Option 2:

Amoxicillin + clavulanate 875 + 125 mg (child: 2 months or older, 22.5 + 3.2 mg/ kg up to 875 +125 mg) orally, 8 - hourly for 5 days.

For patients hypersensitive to penicillins


Review patients within 48 - 72 hours of starting treatment.

Clindamycin 300mg (child: 7.5 mg/ kg up to 300mg) orally, 8 hourly for 5 days

Spreading odontogenic infections with systemic or severe features

Arrange urgent transfer of patients with a spreading infection with severe or systemic features to a hospital that has an oral or maxillofacial surgeon or another appropriate expert.


Management of spreading infection with severe or systemic features involves:

  • maintaining a patent airway (do not lie the patient flat)

  • resuscitation

  • draining pus by incising affected spaces and placings drains

  • removing the tooth or otherwise addressing the source of infection

  • obtaining blood and other samples for oral and susceptibility testing

  • intravenous antibiotic therapy


For empirical antibiotic therapy of spreading odontogenic infection with severe or systemic feature (including Ludwig angina), in conjunction with surgical intervention, use:


Option 1:

Benzylpenicillin intravenously

patients not requiring intensive care support: 1.8g (child: 50mg/kg up to 1.8g) 4 - hourly

patients requiring intensive care support: 2.4g (child: 50mg/kg up to 2.4g) 4 - hourly

PLUS

Metronidazole 500 mg (child: 12.5mg/kg up to 500mg) intravenously, 12 hourly

Option 2:

Amoxicillin + Clavulanate intravenously adult: 1 + 0.2g . Child 25 + 5mg/kg up to 1+0.2 g 6 hourly


For patients with immediate non - severe or delayed nonsevere hypersensitivity to penicillins:

Cefazolin 2g intravenoulsy 8 hourly (for child 50mg/kg up to 2g), for adults requiring intensive care support, use 6 -hourly dosing

Metronidazole 500mg (child: 12.5mg/kg up to 500mg) intravenously, 12 hourly


For patients with immediate immediate severe or delayed severe hypersensitivity to penicillins, choose either:

Clindamycin 600mg (child: 15 mg/ kg up to 600mg) intravenously 8 hourly

Lincomycin 600mg (child: 15 mg/ kg up to 600mg) intravenously, 8 hourly

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