Which antibiotics help to reduce tooth abscesses?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have an abscessed tooth, likely due to unnoticed damage to a crown. I have experienced this before and recognise the symptoms. I have been rinsing for several days with a salt and cider vinegar solution. While this provides temporary relief, the infection is not clearing up.

My dentist cannot see me for five weeks and referred me to my GP, who has no available appointments. I was then referred to A and E or NHS Direct. A and E has a minimum 48-hour wait and is clearly not the best use of emergency resources. NHS Direct said they would call back with details of a local emergency clinic, but that was two days ago.

I spoke with a pharmacist at a major high street chemist. She agreed with my assessment and said a short course of Amoxicillin or Clarithromycin would likely resolve the issue, but she is not authorised to prescribe them. She suggested using an online clinic or, jokingly, finding a friend from Eastern Europe where such antibiotics are available over the counter.

So here I am: my options are to try an online prescription service, wait endlessly in A and E, or wait several weeks to see my own GP or dentist—by which time the abscess will likely rupture and become far more serious.

Is there any way I can get a prescription for a short course of antibiotics to treat this before it worsens?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I understand that your abscess has become quite painful and uncomfortable. As a maxillofacial surgeon, I truly empathise with what you are going through.

I would like to ask—do you have any known allergies to medications? This is important because plain Amoxicillin alone may not be enough to effectively treat the abscess.

As you know, antibiotic therapy is only a temporary measure to control the infection and relieve pain. The most effective long-term solution would be to have a root canal treatment as soon as possible, followed by replacing the crown.

I am planning to prescribe an additional antibiotic along with an anti-inflammatory medication for you to take over the next three days. This combination should help reduce the infection significantly.

However, before prescribing, I need to know if you have any allergies or relevant medical history. Please let me know, and I will proceed with the appropriate prescription directly.

I hope this helps.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

As a maxillofacial surgeon, I would like to offer my opinion to your consulting dentist: antibiotic prophylaxis is currently being implemented for you, but you need to undergo a re-root canal treatment and have your crown replaced at the earliest. If you would like me to write a separate note to your dentist outlining this recommendation, I would be happy to help with that as well.

Now, coming to the medications—since you have confirmed you have no known allergies, please follow the five-day course as below:

Amoxicillin 500 mg – one tablet three times a day (after breakfast, lunch, and dinner) for three days.
Metronidazole 400 mg – one tablet twice a day (after breakfast and dinner) for three days.
Tab Nucoxia-P (contains Etoricoxib 60 mg and Paracetamol 325 mg) – one tablet twice a day (after breakfast and dinner) for three days, for pain control.
Pantoprazole (Pan-D or Pantop) 40 mg – one tablet twice a day (before breakfast and dinner) for three days, to prevent acidity

You may continue these medications for up to five to seven days if needed, for more effective pain and swelling control. Additionally, I recommend lukewarm saltwater rinses six to seven times a day at two-hour intervals to help curb the infection.

If you have further questions or would like me to write a detailed note to your dentist regarding the next steps for your root canal treatment and crown replacement, please let me know here.

I hope this helps.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

Thank you.

Answer 3

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Amoxicillin 500 mg (milligrams) thrice a day for three days (after breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

I hope this helps.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

Thank you.

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