title: Antibiotics in dental practice: how justified are we.
abstract: Antibiotics are prescribed by dentists in dental practice, during dental treatment as well as for prevention of infection. Indications for the use of systemic antibiotics in dentistry are limited because most dental and periodontal diseases are best managed by operative intervention and oral hygiene measures. The use of antibiotics in dental practice is characterised by empirical prescription based on clinical and bacteriological epidemiological factors, resulting in the use of a very narrow range of broad-spectrum antibiotics for short periods of time. This has led to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in a wide range of microbes and to the consequent inefficacy of commonly used antibiotics. Dentists can make a difference by the judicious use of antimicrobials--prescribing the correct drug, at the standard dosage and appropriate regimen--only when systemic spread of infection is evident. The increasing resistance problems of recent years are probably related to the over- or misuse of broad-spectrum agents. There is a clear need for the development of prescribing guidelines and educational initiatives to encourage the rational and appropriate use of drugs in dentistry. This paper highlights the need for dentists to improve antibiotic prescribing practices in an attempt to curb the increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance and other side effects of antibiotic abuse. The literature provides evidence of inadequate prescribing practices by dentists for a number of factors, ranging from inadequate knowledge to social factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sudha College of Dental Sciences and Research, Faridabad, India.
authors.forename: Sukhvinder S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Oberoi
authors.forename: Chandan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dhingra
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Divesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sardana
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D000075202:Contraindications; D003729:Dental Care; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Dental practice; oral hygiene; periodontal disease