Amoxicillin Dosage for Tooth Infections

Recommended Dosing Regimen

• The American College of Physicians and the Infectious Diseases Society of America recommend amoxicillin 500 mg orally three times daily for 7-10 days as the standard treatment for dental/tooth infections 1, 2
• For penicillin-allergic patients, the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases suggests considering clindamycin 300 mg three times daily 3, 1
• The Infectious Diseases Society of America recommends amoxicillin-clavulanate (875/125 mg twice daily) for more complex infections or when beta-lactamase producing organisms are suspected 1, 2

Clinical Considerations

• The European Society of Endodontology states that antibiotics alone without surgical intervention are insufficient for treating dental abscesses, and surgical intervention (drainage, extraction, or root canal therapy) is often necessary and should not be delayed 4
• For acute dental abscesses, the European Society of Endodontology recommends treatment is primarily surgical (root canal therapy or extraction) 4
• For acute dentoalveolar abscesses, the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases recommends incision and drainage followed by amoxicillin for 5 days 5

Clindamycin Dosage for Dental Infections

Dosing Considerations

• The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines suggest that the alternative dosing of 300-450mg four times daily (qid) for skin/soft tissue infections is higher than necessary for routine dental infections 6, 7