Antibiotics: their use and misuse in paediatric dentistry. A systematic review

The use of antibiotics by health care professionals has benefitted humankind to a great extent. Recent reports show an increasing trend of antibiotic prescription by paediatric dentists. This systematic review aims to address the current pattern of antibiotics prescription among the paediatric dental population according to the evidence-based literature. The question of research addressed here deals with the assessment of the correlation of the injudicious prescription of antibacterial agents and antibiotic resistance among the population of interest.

Electronic search databases: PubMed, Ovid and Cochrane Library, were used to review studies as per their relevance and findings. Keywords for search were associated with population: 'paediatric patients', intervention: 'antibiotics treatment', 'prescribing behaviour', and outcomes: 'antibiotic resistance' RESULTS: A total of 542 abstracts were identified, 45 of which met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. A multifactorial relationship leading to increased prescription of antibiotics in paediatric dentistry was observed. Very few studies actually correlated this prescribing behaviour with resistance to these drugs. No consensus regarding the duration of antibiotic therapy or prophylaxis was found.

Insufficient literature support necessitates the requirement of increased evidence to draw a definitive association between the prescribing trends of antibiotics in paediatric dentistry and drug resistance. The development of intervention programmes like antibiotic stewardship ensuring collaboration between patients and paediatric dentists can ensure effective antibiotic prescription.