Has anyone had a revised hip replacement due to a dental abscess?

Posted by longhorn1 @longhorn1, Feb 24 12:45pm

I am three years post hip replacement, and always take an antibiotic at the time of any dental work. However, at this time, I may have a dental infection or abscess, which will be resolved shortly. I am wondering if I should take the antibiotic now a few days before the procedure.

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Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Feb 24 3:47pm

@longhorn1 That would be an excellent question to address to your dentist and your primary care doc.

Recently I had a bad laceration, leading to several stitches. Due to my hip implants, the ER doc immediately prescribed 7 days of oral antibiotics as a precaution. At 14 days, the wound showed signs of being infected, so I was given 7 more days of a different antibiotic, plus and antibiotic salve and told to see my own doctor in 10 days. The wound was not completely healed so my physician ordered 10 more days of a third antibiotic, plus continuing the topical meds. If it is not fully healed by next week (6 weeks from the wound date) I will be referred to a wound specialist.
He stressed that the danger of remote infection is small but very real, and "nothing to mess with."
Have you called either the doctor or dentist for advice?
Sue