Paediatric dosing — by weight

Weight-based dental doses for children, reconciled to current Australian Therapeutic Guidelines · enter a weight → capped dose, suspension volume and a ready-to-print script.

Weigh the child — do not estimate. Doses are calculated from the page-cited Therapeutic Guidelines mg/kg rule and capped at the adult maximum; suspension volumes use the AU product strength you select. You confirm the indication, the weight, the formulation and every calculated dose before prescribing.

Child's weightkg

Oral antibiotics are an adjunct to drainage and a dental procedure. Not routinely needed for a localised infection if a procedure can be done within 24 h. Stop at 48–72 h if the child is improving after source control.

Before using these doses — check for red flags

These regimens are for a spreading infection WITHOUT severe features, as an adjunct to prompt dental treatment. Refer urgently to hospital (oral & maxillofacial surgery) — call an ambulance, do not manage with oral antibiotics — if ANY of the following are present:

Difficulty breathing or swallowing, or noisy / laboured breathing
Swelling of the floor of the mouth
Trismus — cannot open the mouth
Neck swelling
Facial swelling occluding the eye (cavernous sinus thrombosis risk)
Temperature above 38 °C or below 36 °C
Pallor, sweating or tachycardia

In a child, the threshold is lower: grunting, lethargy or irritability, or inability to feed may be the only signs of sepsis — and act on sepsis whenever you or the family are significantly concerned. Consider meningitis in a young child.

Therapeutic Guidelines: Oral & Dental — Acute odontogenic infections, Table 13.19 & Figure 13.79 (Published Sept 2025).

Enter the child's weight to calculate doses.

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