Knowledge of Moroccan Dentists Towards the Prophylaxis of Infective Endocarditis

Abstract

Background: The involvement of oral bacterias in the occurrence of infective endocarditis (IE) has prompted the adoption of antibiotic prophylaxis prior to dental procedures for patients at high-risk. The aim of this paper was to assess the knowledge of Moroccan dentists regarding the management of patients with heart disease at risk of infective endocarditis. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive analytical study which targeted 200 dentists in the city of Rabat- Morocco. A questionnaire with 16 questions was distributed randomly. The level of knowledge of dentists was established based on the number of correct answers for each section and responses were assessed according to the American Heart Association (AHA) 2007 guidelines. Results: Only 133 practitioners have agreed to participate in our study with a response rate of 66,5%. 87% of dentists reported contacting the cardiologist before starting treatment, 33% of practitioners weren’t aware of any guidelines and 20% knew AHA 2007, 52% reported not following guidelines in the management of patients with heart disease. Among the cardiac conditions and dental procedures proposed in the questionnaire which required prophylaxis; 8% and 2% respectively chose the correct answer according to the AHA’s 2007 guidelines. 31% of dentists answered correctly on the prescription of antibiotic prophylaxis protocol according to the latest recommendations. Conclusion: According to our results, the knowledge of Moroccan private general dentists towards endocarditis prophylaxis was in a low level. The study highlights the need for continuous education.