Ear Antibiotic May Harm Teeth

The frequent use of the antibiotic amoxicillinin infancy may be associated withdamage to permanent teeth. Amoxicillinusually is prescribed to treat ear infections.The study, which tracked 579 children frombirth to age 10, found that regular use ofthe antibiotic seemed related to fluorosis,a disorder that damages tooth enamel.

The results of the study indicated that 75%of the participants had been treated withamoxicillin by the age of 12 months and 92%by 32 months. The participants were examinedfor fluorosis at ages 8 to 10, after earlyeruptingpermanent teeth had come in. Theresearchers concluded, after adjusting forother variables, that using amoxicillin mainlyin the first 6 months was closely associatedwith fluorosis. (The findings were reportedrecently in the Archives of Pediatric andAdolescent Medicine.)