Navigating Antimicrobials and Combating Antimicrobial Resistance: Challenges, Impacts, and Strategies for Global

Vishnu Desai1, Santosh Kumar1, Bhavin Patel1

  • 1Department of Periodontology and Implantology, Karnavati School of Dentistry, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar, IND.

Cureus
|April 14, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health threat due to excessive antibiotic use, especially in dentistry. Addressing this requires global coordination, improved stewardship, and reduced unnecessary prescriptions in both human and animal health.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical global health challenge, potentially rendering antibiotics ineffective and causing millions of deaths.
  • Excessive and inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents by healthcare professionals, including dentists, is a primary driver of AMR.
  • The problem is exacerbated in low- and middle-income countries due to widespread antibiotic overprescription and misuse.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the emergence, causes, and health effects of AMR, with a focus on dental and medical settings.
  • To highlight the issue of antibiotic overprescription and abuse globally.
  • To discuss strategies for preventing AMR, including antimicrobial stewardship and evidence-based practices.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on antimicrobial resistance.
  • Analysis of antibiotic prescribing patterns in dental and medical facilities.
  • Investigation of antibiotic use in animal agriculture and its contribution to AMR.
  • Examination of global responses and alternative treatments for AMR.

Main Results:

  • Dentists are significant prescribers of antibiotics, contributing to the AMR crisis.
  • Improper antibiotic use is prevalent globally, particularly in resource-limited settings.
  • Antibiotic abuse in livestock accelerates the spread of resistance.
  • Recent studies question the effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotics in preventing surgical site infections.

Conclusions:

  • A coordinated global response is essential to combat AMR, involving enhanced surveillance and reduced unnecessary antibiotic use.
  • Implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs and evidence-based practices is crucial for prevention.
  • Alternative treatments and responsible antibiotic use in both human and animal health are necessary to mitigate the AMR threat.

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