Antibiotic susceptibility pattern against pathogenic bacteria causing Dental Caries

Abstract

Antibiotics to treat dental caries infection are routinely prescribed which led to the increased resistance against bacteria. The purpose of this investigation was to perform antibiotic susceptibility tests on a panel of pathogenic bacteria isolated from dental caries infection. Bacteria were isolated from caries site of patients and identified at the species level. Each of 150 species of bacteria was tested for antibiotics susceptibility to a five antibiotics using Etest. The antibiotics used were Amoxicillin, Cloxocillin, Erythromycin, Tetracycline and Penicillin‐V. The obtained resistance percentage for each antibiotic were Penicillin V: 72/150 (48%), Tetracycline: 99/150 (66%), Amoxicillin: 135/150 (90%), Cloxocillin: 117/150 (78%), and Erythromycin: 90/150 (60%) (Table 1). In case of combinatorial antibiotic exposure, the resistance percentage of Penicillin V/Amoxicillin and Amoxicillin/ Erythromycin was 39/150 (26%), and 45/150 (30%) respectively. The study has well demonstrated the clinical picture of antibiotic resistance and susceptibility pattern of bacteria causing dental caries. The obtained comprehensive data will allow investigating the spatial distribution of pathogenic, antibiotic resistant bacteria among dental caries patients which further may help into development of novel diagnostic and treatment approaches for the same.