title: Antibiotics in dentistry: Bacteremia, antibiotic prophylaxis, and antibiotic misuse.
abstract: What is known regarding bacteremia? How effective is antibiotic prophylaxis for distant-site infections (late prosthetic joint infections and infective endocarditis)? Antibiotic resistance poses a growing danger to mankind. The misuse of antibiotics is a main cause of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The author undertook a Medline search and a hand search of the literature regarding bacteremia, antibiotic prophylaxis for late prosthetic joint infections and infective endocarditis, antibiotic misuse, and antibiotic resistance. The findings indicate a clearer understanding of bacteremia emerging in the past 30 years, which has led to recent changes in antibiotic prophylaxis regimens. Dentists should understand how bacteremia affects their at-risk patients, the rationale for antibiotic prophylaxis, and how antibiotic misuse poses a threat to all.
authors.affiliation: Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, Loma Linda, California, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Dinsbach
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D063487:Prescription Drug Misuse; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents