Elsevier

Dental Abstracts

Volume 63, Issue 2, March–April 2018, Pages 78-80
Dental Abstracts

The Big Picture
Antibiotic uses in endodontic infections

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.denabs.2017.11.005Get rights and content

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Background

Antibiotic resistance occurs when a microorganism tolerates the actions of an antibiotic that was initially effective for the treatment of infections caused by that microorganism. Some bacteria are becoming resistant to the antibiotics now used. Because dentists prescribe about 10% of the antibiotics used worldwide, their impact on antibiotic resistance can be considerable. Recent evidence indicates that 40% of general dental practitioners prescribe antibiotics 3 times a week and 15% prescribe

Method

A search was conducted of the databases of MEDLINE/PubMed, Wiley Online Database, Web of Science, and Scopus, looking for studies in which dental professionals used systemic antibiotics to treat endodontic lesions and where the type of antibiotic used and diagnosis of the endodontic disease were detailed. Twenty-five studies were analyzed.

Results

For all of the countries surveyed, dental professionals tended to overprescribe antibiotics or prescribe them inappropriately. The specific indications varied between the studies, but many conditions that did not require antibiotics were treated with these agents.

Endodontists in the United States selected the most suitable antibiotic for the treatment of the infection but were still prescribing them when they were not needed. Pediatric dentists tended to overprescribe antibiotics for

Discussion

Dentists are overprescribing antibiotics for the management of endodontic infections. Although some conditions, such as localized swelling in a systemically healthy patient, are not indications for antibiotics, high percentages of dentists prescribe antibiotics for patients with this symptom. The prescribing habits for antibiotics must be improved worldwide to influence the development of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. In addition, dental professionals often require education to encourage

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Segura-Egea JJ, Martín-González J, Jiménez-Sánchez MC, et al: Worldwide pattern of antibiotic prescription in endodontic infections. Int Dent J 67:197-205, 2017

Reprints available from JJ Segura-Egea, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Sevilla, 41009 Sevilla, Spain; e-mail: [email protected]

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