Prescription pattern of antibiotics and analgesics amongst Nigerian dentists during root canal treatment

Abstract

Background: Several persons suffer from different dental conditions such as dental caries, periodontal diseases, and root canal infections. Some of these conditions may require conventional management such as fillings, scaling and polishing, root canal treatment, or even extraction. Root canal treatment is a known and acceptable treatment option for infected root canals. This study was aimed at assessing the prescription pattern of antibiotics and analgesics among dental practitioners in Nigeria during root canal treatment.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among dentists practicing at the dental centre of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City. Data collected were entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 25.0.

Results: The majority (78.8%) of the participants said they routinely prescribed drugs after root canal treatment, while about two-thirds of respondents (78.8%) prescribed both analgesics and antibiotics after the first visit to root canal treatment. Most participants (78.8%) prescribed antibiotics without culture and sensitivity testing. Nearly all (91.3%) of the respondents prescribed penicillin whenever they did so.

Conclusion: The study shows a lack of analgesic and antibiotic prescriptions following standard prescription guidelines. The pattern displayed by the respondents in our study indicates the need for the respondents to acquire more knowledge on proper prescriptions of both drugs.