Antibiotic Over Prescription In Irreversible Pulpitis- A Perception-Based Study In Quetta, Pakistan

Abstract

Introduction:  In early phase of irreversible pulpitis, there is normally no clinically significant sings of infections specially bacterial infections but still there are a lot of dental practitioners that prescribe antibiotics in case of irreversible pulpitis, though there is limited data evidence that the antibiotic penicillin cause reduction in percussion sensitivity and pain (Nagle, Reader, Beck, & Weaver, 2000).There is increasing trend by dental prescription regarding over use of antibiotics in treatment of orofacial and endodontic infections and the culture in these dental infections isolated those pathogens that are multi drug resistant towards commonly prescribed antibiotics (Rôças & Siqueira Jr, 2013). Setting: Sandeman Provincial Hospital and Bolan Medical Complex Hospital Quetta. Study Duration: Duration of this study was 6 months that is from March till August 2021. Results: Majority (n=68,55.3%) of respondents were general dental practitioners followed by operative dentistry respondents (n=21,17.1%). Majority (n=54,43.9) of prescribers were having perception that analgesic should be prescribed and perform concurrent pulpectomy while (n=25, 20.3%) of prescribers had perception that in patients with irreversible pulpitis, prescribe antibiotics, analgesics and perform concurrent pulpectomy whereas majority (n= 6) of orthodontics would Immediately prescribes analgesic and schedule for RCT later.  Prescribers having experience of 1 to 10 years would prescribe analgesic and perform concurrent pulpectomy. Conclusion This study concluded that majority of dental practitioners had perception of prescribing antibiotics in irreversible pulpitis while there were still a good number of those dental prescribers that had perception of prescribing analgesics and performing concurrent Pulpectomy.