Pre-dental antibiotics for few, not many
Doctors long worried that bleeding during dental work could let microbes from the mouth enter the bloodstream. If these critters settle down and start growing on the inner lining of the heart, the infection could damage heart valves and lead to other serious problems. This condition, called infective endocarditis, affects about 15,000 Americans each year. The conventional wisdom has long been to take a dose of antibiotics before having dental work.
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