Increased redness/extension of cellulitis often occurs after initiation of antibiotic therapy (due to toxin release) and so cannot be used as a reliable marker of clinical status if the patient is otherwise improving.
Antibiotics are important medications, but should be used correctly and only when necessary. In British Columbia, dentists are the second-most active prescribers of antibiotics, following physicians; antibiotic prescriptions written by dentists account for 11% of the provincial total. The British Columbia Dental Association and Do Bugs Need Drugs (a program of the BC Centre for Disease Control) have been working in partnership to ensure appropriate antibiotic use by dentists. If you have questions about the use of antibiotics in your dental care, please consult the joint handout for information on guidelines and standards.
The Canadian Orthopedic Association (COA), the Canadian Dental Association (CDA), and the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease (AMMI) Canada have released a joint consensus statement on the evidence base for using dental antibiotic prophylaxis to reduce orthopedic prosthetic joint infections.
Consensus Statement: Dental Patients with Total Joint Replacement