• Stephanie Nguyen, Lamis Ahmed, Amy Villarosa, Ajesh George, and Albert Yaacoub.
• Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District Oral Health Services, Nepean Hospital, Derby St, Kingswood, NSW 2747, Australia.
• Fam Pract. 2023 Feb 9; 40 (1): 9159-15.

BackgroundThere is a limited need for antibiotics when treating oral health problems, yet they are often prescribed, increasing risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). With AMR a threat to public health, the objectives of this study were to assess the frequency, suitability, and factors associated with antibiotic prescriptions for acute dental problems across Greater Western Sydney public dental clinics.MethodsPatients' reason for attending, details of any antibiotics use, and the treating dental practitioner's clinical examination and diagnosis were compared to current prescribing guidelines, and logistic regression was used to identify predictors of antibiotic prescription.ResultsIn all, 1,071 patients participated in the study, and 15.9% reported to using antibiotics for their dental problem. Over three-quarters obtained the antibiotics from their general medical practitioner (GMP). A high prevalence of antibiotics were not indicated for the patient's complaint (71.8%) including for those with a history of extraction, pain, or intraoral swelling, who had significantly higher odds of antibiotic prescription (OR > 9). The antibiotic type prescribed was generally suitable.ConclusionsIn summary, the data suggest that the majority of antibiotics were inappropriately prescribed for the patient's dental complaints and there is a need for interventions to improve compliance with antibiotic prescribing guidelines.© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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