Mel Pegg wrote:

> I have just had one of my wisdom teeth taken out and after the bone 
> having to be drilled and stitches, my dentist has prescribed me with a 
> course of antibiotics and pain killers.
> 
> I am not keen on taking any medication unless absolutely necessary, 
> particularly antibiotics.

My advice: take the antibiotics! 

A year ago I underwent some periodontal surgery that included extraction of
a wisdom tooth. My doc did not prescribe antibiotics, though I did not ask
him not to. I found myself a few days later in emergency care at my local
hospital with a massive and life-threatening infection of my face and head.
The emergency care physician administered antibiotics by IV drip, which
might very well have saved my life. 

Infections in the head area are a very serious business. They can become
lethal by spreading to the brain. 

Antibiotics are of course not paleolithic, but consider for a moment that
our paleolithic ancestors had shorter life-expectancies largely because they
were so vulnerable to infectious disease. 

I think this is one case where it makes sense to avail oneself of the
miracles of modern medicine.

-gts