[Ofloxacin in prophylactic therapy of oral infections]

86 patients (46 females, 40 males; mean age 37 years) were divided into 2 groups: one group of 40 patients with acute infectious odontostomatitis, and another group of 46 patients going to have their oral cavity surgically operated. The first group was treated with 300 mg oral tablets of ofloxacin 12 hourly for 5 days, the second group with the same posology for 3 days, for prophylactic purposes. 54 cases (24 in the first group and 30 in the second one) had Fans drugs integrating antibiotic therapy. At the end of the antibiotic treatment the first group showed a complete abatement of symptoms in 16 cases, a significant improvement in 19 cases, and better clinical conditions in 5 cases. The second group, examined again 4 and 7 days after surgical intervention, showed the prophylactic antibiotic treatment beneficial in 30 cases after 4 days, and in 14 cases after 7 days; for 2 cases it was necessary to replace the antibiotic drug by other. Side effects in both groups (14 cases) were slight and did not cause any treatment interruption. Given these results and the good tolerability of the drug, we conclude that orally administered ofloxacin is a valid alternative to the parenteral drug for the treatment of infectious odontostomatitis and for prophylaxis after oral surgery.