Review of the Role of Adjunctive Antibiotics to Aid Dental Procedures

A recent publication has highlighted significant inconsistency in antibiotic prescribing patterns among the dental community.⁴⁴ These survey data demonstrated that adjunctive prescription of antibiotics was more common by American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) members than members of the American Dental Association.⁴⁴ Given the microbial etiology of periodontitis, it has been suggested that the adjunctive use of systemic antibiotics could be beneficial for clinical outcomes.^45-47 It should be noted that subsets of the population, such as those with immunocompromise or systemic illness, may demonstrate a larger clinical benefit and antibiotic prescription may be best served focused on such individuals.^48-50 Further research to identify patients who would best benefit from adjunctive antibiotic therapy with dental treatment could allow for a meaningful improvement in antibiotic stewardship.