Antibiotic susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from acute dentoalveolar abscesses

The antibiotic susceptibilities of 166 bacterial strains (43 facultative anaerobes and 123 strict anaerobes) cultured from 50 acute dentoalveolar abscesses was assessed. Firstly, the effectiveness of five antibiotics, penicillin, amoxycillin, erythromycin, clindamycin and metronidazole, which are available to treat acute dental infection, was studied using a Stokes' comparative disc diffusion method. Secondly, the minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations were determined for isolates of the predominant species, especially those strains deemed resistant by the Stokes' method. It was concluded that the vast majority of bacterial strains (96%) were sensitive or moderately sensitive to the antibiotics tested. However, resistance was recorded for each of the antibiotics tested on at least one occasion. The MIC of penicillin, presently the drug of choice for acute dental infection, was between 0.03 and 2 mg/l for the majority of strains (96%).