Bacteremia following dental extractions in patients with and without penicillin prophylaxis

This study describes the type, rate and magnitude of bacteremia in 128 patients undergoing dental extractions with and without penicillin prophylaxis. The most prolonged and highest rates of bacteremia occurred in patients undergoing extractions and alveoplasty while under general anesthesia following nasotracheal intubation. The most common aerobes in patients receiving no penicillin were streptococci. Bacteroides sp. were detected most often in patients receiving penicillin prophylaxis. The overall bacteremia, streptococcal and polymicrobial bacteremia rates were lowest for the patients receiving penicillin. Only two of 66 patients given penicillin prophylaxis had recoverable streptococci in blood cultures. Our study indicates that both intravenous and oral penicillin G prophylaxis for dental extractions decreased bacteremia rates significantly, including the recovery of streptococci.