Dentists urged to support responsible prescribing
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- Published: Wednesday, 15 November 2017 07:37
- Written by News Editor
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To coincide with European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) on 18 November 2017, UK-wide dental and public health organisations have joined forces to urge oral health professionals to pledge their support for more responsible prescribing. They are urging their members to join a social media ‘Thunderclap’ on that day and sign a pledge on the Antibiotic Prescribing Pledge webpage.
In the UK, dentists prescribe more than 5% of all antibiotics and approximately 60% of the total metronidazole in primary health care. Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem that leads to antibiotics no longer being effective in treating even simple infections.
The Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP(UK)) is working with the Association of Clinical Oral Microbiologists (ACOM), the British Dental Association (BDA), Public Health England, Health Protection Scotland, Public Health Wales, the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and the Antibiotic Action initiative, to ask members to join a social media ‘Thunderclap’ on 18 November. The consortium is also asking oral health professionals to demonstrate their commitment to responsible antibiotic prescribing by signing a pledge on the Antibiotic Prescribing Pledge webpage and commit to promoting prevention to children and their families to reduce decay, dental infections and the possible resultant use of antibiotics.
To help dentists appropriately prescribe antibiotics and to educate families on the indications for antibiotics, a Dental Antimicrobial Stewardship Toolkit is available on the Public Health England website here. This toolkit was produced by the Dental Subgroup of Public Health England’s English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilization and Resistance (ESPAUR), the FGDP(UK)) and the BDA and supported by Health Protection Scotland and Public Health Wales. Regular auditing of antibiotic prescribing by dentists will also ensure appropriate use and reduce antimicrobial resistance.
The FGDP(UK) publishes free online guidance to help dentists decide when antibiotics are required. Dentists can help their patients understand that for dental pain, dental care is usually a more effective treatment than antibiotics, and that when antibiotics are prescribed, taking and disposing of them responsibly can help fight the rise in antibiotic-resistant infections.
Mick Horton, Dean of the FGDP(UK), said: “We all have a responsibility to help educate our patients and our colleagues about the importance of preventing infection and responsible prescribing. Join our Thunderclap and sign the Antibiotic Guardian pledge and help keep antibiotics working for the benefit of everyone.”
BDA chair Mick Armstrong said: "We urge all dentists to play their part in ensuring that antibiotics remain effective. The BDA has been campaigning to remove the barriers and is working with partners to help dentists support antimicrobial stewardship. We urge members to join this Thunderclap, become an Antibiotic Guardian and spread the message to your colleagues and patients.”
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