Antibiotics and Dental Procedures

By Doug Donaldson

Over the past five decades, doctors have prescribed antibiotics to patients with any kind of heart abnormality who were scheduled to undergo dental procedures. It was believed the antibiotics would prevent infective endocarditis, which is an infection of the heart’s inner lining.

For most people, however, the antibiotics aren’t necessary and may even cause harm, according to recent studies by the American Heart Association. Those with artificial heart valves, previous endocarditis, congenital heart conditions, and transplants should still take the antibiotics.