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Paediatric antibiotic prescribing by general dental practitioners in England

N O Palmer1, M V Martin, R Pealing

  • 1Department of Clinical Dental Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK.

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry
|September 26, 2001
PubMed

Insights

General dental practitioners in England often prescribe liquid antibiotics for children inappropriately. This practice, including incorrect dosages and durations, may worsen antimicrobial resistance. Clearer guidelines and education are needed for these healthcare providers.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Public Health
  • Pediatric Medicine

Background:

  • Inappropriate antibiotic use is a significant driver of antimicrobial resistance.
  • There is a lack of data on antibiotic prescribing patterns for pediatric patients by dental practitioners.
  • This study addresses the gap by examining liquid antibiotic prescriptions for children in England.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prescribing patterns of liquid-based antibiotics for children by general dental practitioners (GDPs) in England.
  • To identify variations in antibiotic choice, dosage, frequency, duration, and sugar content.
  • To assess potential contributions to antimicrobial resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of National Health Service (NHS) liquid-based prescriptions issued by GDPs in England.
  • Inclusion of all prescriptions from 10 Health Authorities for February 1999.
  • Detailed examination of pediatric liquid antibiotic prescriptions, including antibiotic type, sugar-free status, dose, frequency, and duration.

Main Results:

  • Out of 18,614 antibiotic prescriptions, 1609 were liquid-based for children.
  • Amoxicillin (75.5%) and phenoxymethylpenicillin (15.2%) were the most common antibiotics.
  • Significant variations in dosage, frequency, and duration were observed, with many prescriptions deviating from manufacturer recommendations. Only 29.1% were sugar-free.

Conclusions:

  • Some GDPs prescribe liquid antibiotics for children inappropriately.
  • These prescribing practices may exacerbate the issue of antimicrobial resistance.
  • Development of clear guidelines and educational programs for GDPs is recommended to improve prescribing habits.
Abstract

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