These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
Ceflex
Question: I wanted to know if taking ceflex for a child is damaging to the growth of his second set of teeth that will be coming in soon. He is 2 years and 8 month old. He is taking the medication because his sinuses are clogged up drastically. We are going this route before he has to be operated on.
Answer: I believe the medication you are referring to is the antibiotic keflex, generic name “cephalexin”. This antibiotic is a member of an antibiotic family known as the cephalosporins, and like penicillin antibiotics, fight bacteria by interfering with their ability to make a protective cell wall around themselves. Although some bacteria are developing resistance to cephalexin and its close relatives, it has been shown to be effective against a wide range of non-resistant bacteria. Among these, are many bacteria that cause chronic and/or repeated sinus infections, as well as middle ear infections.
The 1997 edition of the Physician’s Desk Reference does not list any problems with child growth difficulties, with respect to dental growth/maturation, or otherwise, associated with the use of cephalexin (“keflex”). As always, should you have any concerns or questions about a medicine you or a member of your family is using, see your doctor. He or she can explain how and why the medication works and what the major side effects are, if any.
