Researchers map antibiotic use globally

Dental Tribune International

Thu. 17. October 2024

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MURCIA, Spain: The World Health Organization annually publishes data on defined daily dose per 1,000 inhabitants per day (DID) for antibiotics, allowing for the monitoring of trends such as antibiotic prescribing patterns. However, this data is not reported specifically for dentistry, yet, depending on the country, dental professionals account for about 10% of outpatient antibiotic prescriptions. Researchers in Spain set out to map the DID of antibiotics prescribed by dentists worldwide and to understand global trends. The results of their scoping review underscore the urgent need for more detailed data on antibiotic prescribing practices, global strategies to monitor and reduce inappropriate antibiotic use, and the integration of dental practices into broader antibiotic stewardship efforts.

After conducting a comprehensive search across multiple databases, the researchers at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Catholic University of Murcia analysed data from 12 countries. They found that the DID for antibiotics prescribed by dentists was generally low, often below 2.11, except in South Korea, where it reached up to 6.97. The data reveal a trend of decreasing antibiotic prescriptions over the last decade in many countries, such as England and Germany, although there was an increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, likely due to changes in healthcare practices and access to dental services.

The review identified that penicillin-based antibiotics, especially amoxicillin, were the most commonly prescribed. However, prescribing practices varied, with some countries favouring broad-spectrum antibiotics. Notably, the research found substantial gaps in data, particularly in terms of specific information related to dental antibiotic use, hindering a comprehensive understanding of global prescribing patterns.

The findings highlight the problem of inappropriate or unnecessary antibiotic prescription in dentistry. Dentists often prescribe antibiotics for dental conditions where their use may not be clinically justified, such as for unnecessary prophylactic treatment, contributing to the global challenge of antibiotic resistance. For instance, studies cited in the article have shown that a substantial portion of antibiotic prescriptions by dentists in the US, Croatia and Lebanon did not align with the recommended guidelines. The article pointed out that adherence to updated prescribing guidelines is crucial to reducing unnecessary antibiotic use.

The authors also advocated for initiatives involving continued training in antibiotic stewardship and regular updates to clinical guidelines to help practitioners distinguish between cases that warrant antibiotic use and those that do not. Furthermore, the implementation of standardised data reporting using DID is recommended. This measure allows for more accurate comparison of antibiotic usage across different regions and times, facilitating better monitoring of antibiotic consumption trends and informing policy.

Standardising data collection and improving accessibility to antibiotic prescription data globally would also support efforts to tackle resistance more effectively. By adopting these strategies, dental practices worldwide can contribute to minimising the development of antibiotic-resistant infections and promote the rational use of antibiotics in healthcare.

The study, titled “Mapping worldwide antibiotic use in dental practices: A scoping review”, was published online on 8 September 2024 in Antibiotics.