Antibiotic use in dentistry of bacteria from advanced caries. The first line of treatment is the removal of the source of inflammation or infection by local operative measures. Generally, the abscess can be eradicated through surgical drainage alone; however this is sometimes inadequate. Therefore, systemic antibiotic treatment may be required, but only if there is evidence of spreading infection. As the bacteria involved are known, antibiotic therapy selection can be specific, based on published susceptibilities. Penicillin in the form of amoxicillin is the most common antibiotic to use. However, 3% of the patient population is allergic to penicillin, so erythromycin is often used in
Antibiotic use in dentistry prophylaxis to prevent post-operative infections, resulting from bacteraemia, and infective endocarditis was practiced by dentists, especially in patients at high risk (i.e. with heart problems). However, according to new recommendations from the National Institution for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), antibiotic prophylaxis should not be offered for all patients at risk of infective endocarditis. This is due to the ever-increasing antibiotic resistance and there is no or very little evidence to show whether antibiotic prophylaxis is effective or ineffective against post-operative infections. Moreover, it is yet to be established whether the benefits of administering antibiotics prophylactically outweighs the inherent risks,