ANTIBIOTICS FOR PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS IN DENTISTRY: AN OVERVIEW OF AVAILABLE GUIDELINES

Received 2024-04-05; Accepted 2024-08-15; Published 2025-01-14

Abstract

The administration of antibiotics in children undergoing dental procedures is generally contemplated in specific instances to prevent or address potential infections. This thorough review aims to enhance current guidelines by integrating additional evidence regarding the need for administering antibiotics to children undergoing dental treatments. We conducted an extensive review of literature, focusing solely on English-language sources retrieved from SCOPUS, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases up to August 2023. Our primary focus was on exploring the utilisation of antibiotics in paediatric dental care. Inaccurate antibiotic prescriptions can result in widespread consequences, such as the development of bacterial resistance, complications in the gastrointestinal and haematological systems, and disruptions in the bacterial microbiota. This review highlights the importance of following existing guidelines for prescribing antibiotics in paediatric dental care, underscoring the crucial role of dentists' clinical judgement before authorising prescriptions. Additionally, it strongly promotes collaborative communication with medical practitioners to evaluate the patient's clinical condition. Consequently, it is imperative to establish comprehensive antibiotic prescribing guidelines for dental professionals.