Are antibiotics being used appropriately for emergency dental treatment?

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the therapeutic prescribing of antibiotics to patients presenting for emergency dental treatment.

Design: A prospective clinical study.

Method: Information was collected via a questionnaire concerning the patient's reason for attendance and treatment undertaken at emergency dental clinics in North and South Cheshire.

Results: Over an 11-week period 1,069 patients attended the five clinics, 1,011 questionnaires were analyzed. The majority of the attendees had pain (879/1011). 35% (311/879) of these patient had pulpitis and 74% (230/311) had been issued a prescription for antibiotics, without any active surgical intervention. Th principal antibiotic prescribed for both adult and child patients was amoxicillin.

Conclusion: The majority of patients attending the emergency dental clinics had pain, with a large proportion having localised infections either as pulpitis or localised dental abscess. Three quarters of these patients had no surgical intervention and were inappropriately prescribed antibiotics.