From the Guidelines
Clindamycin is recommended for dental infections at a dosage of 300-450 mg PO TID for adults and 10-13 mg/kg/dose PO every 6-8 h, not to exceed 40 mg/kg/day for pediatric patients.
Recommended Dosage
- The dosage for adults is 300-450 mg PO TID 1
- The dosage for pediatric patients is 10-13 mg/kg/dose PO every 6-8 h, not to exceed 40 mg/kg/day 1
Important Considerations
- Clindamycin may cause Clostridium difficile–associated disease more frequently compared to other oral agents 1
- Clindamycin is effective against b-hemolytic streptococci, but its clinical significance of inducible clindamycin resistance is unclear 1
- Clindamycin is recommended for purulent cellulitis and nonpurulent cellulitis when coverage for both b-hemolytic streptococci and CA-MRSA is desired 1
From the FDA Drug Label
Adults: Serious infections – 150 to 300 mg every 6 hours. More severe infections – 300 to 450 mg every 6 hours Pediatric Patients (for children who are able to swallow capsules): Serious infections – 8 to 16 mg/kg/day (4 to 8 mg/lb/day) divided into three or four equal doses. More severe infections – 16 to 20 mg/kg/day (8 to 10 mg/lb/day) divided into three or four equal doses.
The recommended dosage of clindamycin for dental infections is 150 to 300 mg every 6 hours for adults with serious infections, and 300 to 450 mg every 6 hours for more severe infections. For pediatric patients, the dosage is 8 to 16 mg/kg/day for serious infections and 16 to 20 mg/kg/day for more severe infections, divided into three or four equal doses 2.
From the Research
Recommended Dosage of Clindamycin for Dental Infections
The recommended dosage of clindamycin for dental infections can be found in the following studies:
- A study published in 1990 3 used a dosage of 150 mg of clindamycin orally four times daily for seven days to treat odontogenic infections.
- Other studies 4, 5, 6, 7 discuss the use of clindamycin in dental infections, but do not specify a particular dosage.
Key Points
- Clindamycin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with activity against aerobic, anaerobic, and beta-lactamase-producing pathogens 4.
- Clindamycin has high oral absorption, significant tissue penetration, including penetration into bone, and stimulatory effects on the host immune system 4.
- Clindamycin is effective against most strains associated with odontostomatological pathology, including caries, pulp, and periodontal infections 5.
- Clindamycin has been used to treat odontogenic infections due to its bacterial susceptibility, great oral absorption, low emergence of bacterial resistance, and good antibiotic levels in bone 6.
Dosage Information
- The only specific dosage information found was in the 1990 study 3, which used 150 mg of clindamycin orally four times daily for seven days.