Dental antibiotic prophylaxis

Dental antibiotic prophylaxis is the <a href="/facts/Antibiotic_use_in_dentistry/WIqKvw9T">administration of antibiotics to a dental patient</a> for prevention of harmful consequences of <a href="/facts/Bacteremia/J0C082Sg">bacteremia</a>, that may be caused by invasion of the <a href="/facts/Mouth/WthDlXsC">oral</a> <a href="/facts/Flora/2xkcTn2d">flora</a> into an injured <a href="/facts/Gingival/4JhxlckG">gingival</a> or peri-apical vessel during dental treatment.
This issue remains a subject under constant revision, with the intention of providing recommendations based on sound scientific evidence.
In the past, bacteremia caused by dental procedures (in most cases due to <a href="/facts/Streptococcus_viridans/wbGYtXrl">viridans streptococci</a>, which reside in oral cavity), such as a cleaning or <a href="/facts/Extraction_(dental)/gfgT6bPV">extraction</a> of a tooth was thought to be more clinically significant than it actually was. However, it is important that a dentist or a dental hygienist be told of any heart problems before commencing treatment. Antibiotics are administered to patients with certain heart conditions as a precaution, although this practice has changed in the US, with new American Heart Association guidelines released in 2007, and in the UK as of August 2018 due to new SDCEP advice in line with the NICE guidelines. Everyday tooth brushing and flossing will similarly cause bacteremia. Although there is little evidence to support antibiotic prophylaxis for dental treatment, the current AHA guidelines are highly accepted by clinicians and patients.

Dental antibiotic prophylaxis open-in-new

Dental antibiotic prophylaxis