Analysis of the antibiotic prophylaxis prescribed by Spanish Oral Surgeons.
OBJECTIVE
To identify prophylactic antibiotic prescription practices among Spanish dentists with preferential dedication to Oral Surgery in different types of tooth extraction surgeries.


METHODS
Members of the Spanish Oral Surgery Society were surveyed on antibiotic prophylaxis use in 4 different tooth extraction modalities scaled according to their surgical invasiveness.


RESULTS
Sixty-nine of the 105 distributed questionnaires were returned completed. Thirteen percent of the surveyed surgeons would prescribe antibiotics to prevent postoperative wound infection when confronted with conventional tooth extraction lasting less than 5 minutes. In the case of surgery lasting more than 5 minutes, the percentage of participants that would prescribe antibiotics increased to 39%. When a mucoperiosteal flap was elevated or an ostectomy was performed, 87% and 100%, respectively, would prescribe antibiotic prophylaxis. Amoxicillin and its combination with clavulanic acid were the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. All participants would prescribe the antibiotic orally, starting after surgery and with a duration that ranged from 2-8 days.


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained suggest that antibiotic prophylaxis for preventing local odontogenic infection is not being correctly implemented in Spain. This can generate new bacterial resistances, facilitate adverse drug reactions and favor opportunistic infections. Better designed studies are needed in order to clarify the role of antibiotics in the prevention of postsurgical wound infection.
Sancho-Puchades
Manuel
M
University of Barcelona Dental School, Spain.
Herráez-Vilas
José-María
JM
Valmaseda-Castellón
Eduardo
E
Berini-Aytés
Leonardo
L
Gay-Escoda
Cosme
C
D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013030:Spain; D013515:Surgery, Oral; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires