TKR

I have not heard that, but after joint replacements, antibiotics are to be taken before all dental procedures, even just cleanings. It seems that it could be feasible.

@angels12 Hard to say! Overall, your risk of infection after joint replacement is about 2%, mainly in the first 12 months. If you have certain other issues, your risk could be a little higher. See this article:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320519
But, I can't find anything that directly addresses the risk from a UTI. I had always heard that an infection that has ready access to your bloodstream (like infectious tissue during a dental procedure) were more risky. Since a UTI is contained, that may mean a lower risk (unless you have a persistent low-grade infection that keeps flaring. I had a 2 persistent lung infections for over 24 months, and neither affected my joint implants. And last year I had a persistent staph infection for over 3 months on my leg and arm - they did not make it to my hips either.
For a better answer, you might want to consult with an infectious disease doc.

I think that may differ per surgeon or practice or maybe per patient. I had tkr less than a year ago and my surgeon said no antibiotics needed when I had my teeth cleaned less than 6 months after tkr.

I asked 4 up-to-date dentists I know - here is what each said:
"The jury is out on whether there is any benefit to pre-dental care antibiotics more than 12 months after a joint replacement unless the person had a post-surgical infection or is immunocompromised."
Dentist #1 said "I advise my patients not to take unnecessary antibiotics."
Dentist #2 said "I leave it up to the patient to decide."
Dentist #3 said "I require that my patients take antibiotics unless they have adversely reacted to them in the past. It is a single dose a couple times a year, so I feel the risk is small. I watched my Mom struggle with an infected hip implant. It was awful."
Dentist #4 said "If you want to be my patient, take the antibiotics. Mouths are full of germs, and dental work often opens up wounds so those can get into your blood. Better safe than sorry."
My orthopedic surgeon agrees with Dentists 3 & 4 - I take antibiotics before dental work.

Thanks for the response. I was talking specifically about teeth cleaning although I might not have been clear about that. Here is what my surgeon said:
"You do not require antibiotics for the cleanings, exam as you are already outside 3 months from your last knee replacement. We only require under current protocol that you take antibiotics for cleaning within the 3 months from surgery, 2 years out for invasive dental work such as root canals, extractions, implants, cavities, extractions."

I may have different health issue than you, but I often bleed when my teeth are cleaned (I opt for mechanical cleaning/scraping rather than ultrasonic with the mist from the cleaning process. Therefore my dentists treat cleaning and dental procedures the same.

Here is some info about current recommendations from the ADA Guidelines:
The ADA generally recommends against routine antibiotic prophylaxis for prosthetic joint implants before dental procedures.
Surgeon's Role:
If the patient has a history of complications with their joint replacement or other risk factors, the orthopedic surgeon may recommend antibiotics.
Dentist's Role:
The dentist will assess the specific dental procedure and the patient's overall health to determine if antibiotics are needed.

Of course follow your medical practitioner. My surgeon and dentist recommend prophylactic antibiotics. Going back to the original question about UTI, the poster should follow their doctors recommendations. I appreciate the volunteer mentor for her research which provides explanations for each of us to evaluate.

Hello, I had an asymptomatic uti before my second tkr. I was given a round of antibiotics to clear the infection. Because there was still some infection after the antibiotics they dosed me with additional antibiotic pre surgery. But, surgery took place on schedule. I have not had any infection.
As to how likely a uti is to increase the chance of infection: "Some studies suggest a significant increase in PJI risk if the UTI occurs close to the surgery date, while others show no statistically significant increase or highlight the need for more research."
Here is some information from the PubMed paper "Should a Urinary Tract Infection Be Treated before a Total Joint Arthroplasty?" " Symptomatic UTI is a risk factor for PJI and should be treated before proceeding TJA. However asymptomatic bacteriuria, ASB, (what I had) is common in patients undergoing TJAs, and should not be considered as a cause for PJI. In these ASB patients, neither preoperative urine culture nor preoperative treatment is necessary before TJA.

In the 2018 International Consensus on Orthopedic Infections, the questionnaire “Symptomatic UTI must be treated with appropriate antibiotics before proceeding with the surgery. In ASB, treatment should be discontinued as it does not increase the risk of a subsequent surgical site infection/PJI” was agreed upon by 96% of votes, a near unanimous consensus."

Despite the paper saying no need to worry with ASB, I was happy they gave me antibiotics and took the ASB seriously.