THE EFFECT OF AMOXICILLIN VERSUS PENICILLIN-V IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTELY ABSCESSED PRIMARY TEETH

A clinical study was carried out to compare the efficacy of a short co urse, high dose amoxycillin versus a conventional penicillin regimen i n the treatment of acute abscessed primary teeth. In a blind way child ren were assigned to either group A (amoxycillin) or group B (penicill in). The efficacy of the antibiotics was assessed using the clinical p arameters of pain, swelling, tenderness, mobility and lymphadenitis. T he results showed a general trend of less swelling in patients in grou p A as compared with patients in group B. This was significant at days 1 and 7 for the operators assessment (Mann Whitney U test; z = 2.48 a nd z = 2.12). More teeth in group A were considered suitable for first stage pulpectomy by day 7 (c2 test; P Pound 0.037). A short course, h igh dose amoxycillin regimen proved as efficacious as a conventional p enicillin regimen.