Antibiotics in dentistry: Bacteremia, antibiotic prophylaxis, and antibiotic misuse

What is known regarding bacteremia? How effective is antibiotic prophylaxis for distant-site infections (late prosthetic joint infections and infective endocarditis)? Antibiotic resistance poses a growing danger to mankind. The misuse of antibiotics is a main cause of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The author undertook a Medline search and a hand search of the literature regarding bacteremia, antibiotic prophylaxis for late prosthetic joint infections and infective endocarditis, antibiotic misuse, and antibiotic resistance. The findings indicate a clearer understanding of bacteremia emerging in the past 30 years, which has led to recent changes in antibiotic prophylaxis regimens. Dentists should understand how bacteremia affects their at-risk patients, the rationale for antibiotic prophylaxis, and how antibiotic misuse poses a threat to all.