Taking Antibiotics Before Dental Visits May Cause Serious Side Effects 80% Prescribed Unnecessarily, Study Shows

Antibiotics are often prescribed for a day or two before dental visits to prevent infections in certain people, such as those who have had hip or knee replacements, but current American Dental Association and American Heart Association guidelines no longer recommend this in most cases. The study of nearly 170,000 dental visits determined 80% of antibiotics prescribed before dental visits to prevent infection are unnecessary.