Q. I will have a hip replacement for osteoarthritis in the fall. What are the current guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis before dental cleaning?
A
The current guidelines from the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommend against use of prophylactic antibiotics for routine dental procedures, such as cleanings, after joint replacement. This advice changed in 2015 after a published 2014 systematic review of the evidence. The review of current evidence suggests dental procedures do not cause infections in joint replacements, and prophylactic antibiotics do not prevent them when they occur.
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