Antibiotic prescribing in dental practice in Belgium.

Abstract

AIM:

To assess the types and frequency of antibiotic prescriptions by Belgian dentists, the indications for antibiotic prescription, and dentists' knowledge about recommended practice in antibiotic use.

METHODOLOGY:

In this cross-sectional survey, dental practitioners were asked to record information about all antibiotics prescribed to their patients during a 2-week period. The dental practitioners were also asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire regarding demographic data, prescribing practices, and knowledge about antibiotic use. A random sample of 268 Belgian dentists participated in the survey.

RESULTS:

During the 2-week period, 24 421 patient encounters were recorded; 1033 patients were prescribed an antibiotic (4.2%). The median number of prescriptions per dentist for the 2 weeks was 3. Broad spectrum antibiotics were most commonly prescribed: 82% of all prescriptions were for amoxycillin, amoxycillin-clavulanic acid and clindamycin. Antibiotics were often prescribed in the absence of fever (92.2%) and without any local treatment (54.2%). The most frequent diagnosis for which antibiotics were prescribed was periapical abscess (51.9%). Antibiotics were prescribed to 63.3% of patients with periapical abscess and 4.3% of patients with pulpitis. Patterns of prescriptions were confirmed by the data from the self-reported practice.

CONCLUSIONS:

Discrepancies between observed and recommended practice support the need for educational initiatives to promote rational use of antibiotics in dentistry in Belgium.

• Authors: A Mainjot, W D'Hoore, A Vanheusden, J-P Van Nieuwenhuysen
• Journal: International endodontic journal (Int Endod J) Vol. 42 Issue 12 Pg. 1112-7 (Dec 2009) ISSN: 1365-2591 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19912383 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination
• Amoxicillin

Topics

• Amoxicillin (therapeutic use)
• Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination (therapeutic use)
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antibiotic Prophylaxis (statistics & numerical data)
• Belgium
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Dentists (psychology)
• Drug Prescriptions (statistics & numerical data)
• Drug Resistance, Microbial
• Drug Utilization (statistics & numerical data)
• Female
• Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
• Humans
• Male
• Periapical Abscess (drug therapy)
• Practice Patterns, Dentists' (statistics & numerical data)
• Pulpitis (drug therapy)
• Surveys and Questionnaires