Antibiotic presciption by general dental practitioners in the management of acute dentoalveolar infections

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge of the general dental practitioners in the use of antibiotics for patients with acute dentoalveolar infections. A questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 300 general dental practitioners working in eleven governances in Jordan in order to survey their choice of antibiotic in the management of acute dentoalveolar infections. The responses were numerically coded and analysed. Frequencies were used to examine and describe the distribution of all the variables. Responses were received from 230 [76.7%] general dental practitioners. Amoxycillin with or without metronidazole was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic. Lincosamides [clindamycin and lincomycin], were prescribed by 26.5% of the general dental practitioners. In patients allergic to penicillin, erythromycin was the most frequently prescribed followed by lincosamides. Only 17.8% of the general dental practitioners had taken microbiological samples for culture and sensitivity throughout their practice. There was a wide variety of dosage, frequency and duration for all the antibiotics prescribed. General dental practitioners who are female or young or working in hospitals and those graduated from Jordan were significantly more compliant with the current guidelines for antibiotic prescription. The results showed a lack of consistency in the rational use of antibiotics by the general dental practitioners with considerable variation in the recommended doses, frequencies and durations