Antimicrobial Prophylaxis in Dentistry: Survey among Dental Surgeons in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and the Metropolitan Region

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The irrational use of antimicrobial drugs has become a serious epidemiological problem due to the development of bacterial resistance, causing consequences for global health. In dentistry, antibiotics are the second most common pharmacological class prescribed. Thus, we evaluated the use of antimicrobial prophylaxis by dentists in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and the metropolitan region using an online questionnaire. Dentists were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire concerning antimicrobial prescription. The questionnaire was prepared on the Microsoft Forms platform and shared with dentists through social media and was available for a period of 40 days. The questionnaire was answered by 82 dentists, and 85.3% of them reported prescribing antibiotic prophylaxis (AP). Many different protocols were observed, but the majority of dentists prescribe amoxicillin (2 g) 1 hour before a procedure. The greatest diversity was found in the prescriptions for post-procedure prophylaxis, but most professionals prescribe 500 mg of antibiotics every 8 hours for 7 days. An overwhelming 91.5% of participants think that guidelines for prescribing antibiotics in dentistry are necessary, and 62.2% believe that the use of AP can have some impact on bacterial resistance. There is a wide range of different prescriptions for antimicrobials, suggesting a need for better aligned guidelines and education of professionals on the proper use of antimicrobials and its consequences on bacterial resistance to antibiotics.