National dental and medical organisations have come together again to support the World Health Organisation’s Antimicrobial Awareness Week, which runs from 18-24 November.

The Association of Clinical Oral Microbiologists and College of General Dentistry, supported by the Association of Dental Hospitals, British Dental Association, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, British Association of Oral Surgery, British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, are reminding patients that “antibiotics do not cure toothache”, and encouraging the dental team to adhere to best practice and only prescribe antibiotics as an adjunct to definitive clinical management of the cause when indicated according to national guidelines.

Prudent prescribing of antimicrobials can slow down the development of antimicrobial resistance, and all healthcare prescribers play a vital role. The dental profession has shown its commitment to addressing antimicrobial resistance by significantly reducing the use of antibiotics over the last decade, both in dental practice and a hospital setting. Dental hospitals in the UK and Ireland reduced antibiotic prescriptions by 22% and 30% for therapeutic and prophylactic indications respectively between 2018 and 2020 (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic).

It has been reported that COVID-19 had a negative effect on the profession’s endeavours in improving antibiotic prescribing patterns. The organisations therefore encourage dental teams in both general practice and hospital settings to re-start auditing their practice of antibiotic prescribing against the recently updated national guidelines, as this will help to reduce the use of antimicrobials and improve patient outcomes.

The successful management of acute dental infections requires accurate diagnosis and definitive treatment, and patients who have prompt access to emergency dental services have a much-reduced risk of developing life-threatening sepsis. Dental teams are encouraged to use the following resources to update their knowledge on the latest national recommendations on the use of antimicrobial agents in dentistry, and to audit their practice:

• Guidelines for antimicrobial prescribing in dentistry are available at https://cgdent.uk/standards-guidance/ and https://bnf.nice.org.uk
• Guidance for antimicrobials in dentistry in Scotland are available at https://www.sdcep.org.uk/published-guidance/drug-prescribing/ and https://www.sapg.scot/media/5473/statement-on-pen-v-in-dental-infections.pdf
• Antimicrobial prescribing audit tools are available at https://cgdent.uk/standards-guidance/ and https://heiw.nhs.wales/education-and-training/dental/quality-improvement/national-audit-projects/antimicrobial-prescribing/
  
• Other resources, including the Dental Antimicrobial Stewardship Toolkit, are available via https://cgdent.uk/standards-guidance/ and https://bda.org/amr

Notes to editors

1. The Association of Clinical Oral Microbiologists (ACOM) exists to promote the clinical practice of diagnostic microbiology, infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship. Its members are clinically qualified and work in clinical practice and academia to promote the prevention and optimal management of infection in the oral and maxillo-facial region.

2. The College of General Dentistry (CGDent) is the first independent college for primary care dentistry in the UK. Serving the public interest in oral health, and engaging the whole dental team, it will build on the achievements of the FGDP(UK) in setting standards for general dental care and delivering outstanding postgraduate dental education and has a vision to achieve Royal College standing.

3. The Association of Dental Hospitals (ADH) is a membership organisation which represents the voices of dental hospitals across the UK and Ireland. Its membership consists of dental hospitals and academic clinical facilities which provide dental services and have a significant commitment to NHS-funded undergraduate or postgraduate dental students.

4. The British Dental Association (BDA) is the voice of dentists and dental students in the UK. It brings dentists together, supports its members through advice and education, and represents their interests. As the trade union and professional body, it represents all fields of dentistry including general practice, community dental services, the armed forces, hospitals, academia, public health and research.

5. The British Association of Oral Surgeons (BAOS) represents all practitioners with a special interest in Oral Surgery, from high street practitioners through hospital specialists to academic oral surgeons.  The Association's aims are to promote the development of specialist Oral Surgery practice and address issues relating to NHS and private practice, training, clinical governance and post-specialist training.

6. SAPG-Dental is the dental sub-group of the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group, part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland. The dental sub-group comprises dental practitioners, academics, antimicrobial pharmacists and patient representatives. Its aim is to improve antimicrobial stewardship for dental infections in Scotland.

7. The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) is a global educator, joining the dots between scientific researchers, medical communities and the wider public, encouraging and enabling them to pass on their knowledge to a global audience. Founded in 1971, and with members in 135 countries around the world, its internationally renowned publications are among the foremost international journals in antimicrobial research, and its commitment to scientific excellence is reflected in its varied programme of events, training and free educational resources.

8. The Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FDS) is a professional body committed to enabling dental surgeons to achieve and maintain excellence in practice and patient care. Founded in 1947, it has over 5,500 members and fellows and is one of the leading providers of dental education, supporting thousands of dentists worldwide to fulfil their potential.

9. The Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh promotes excellence in patient care by providing quality-assured assessments and facilitating high standards of education for members of the dental profession. Established in 1982, it is the largest of the College's faculties with almost 7,000 Fellows and Members worldwide and its own Council.

10. The Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow sets the highest possible standards for an increasingly demanding profession. Established in 1967, it is committed to supporting professionals through every stage of their career while working to lower the cost of dental training.

11. The British and Irish Society for Oral Medicine (BISOM) is the UK and Ireland’s recognised authority for clinical care, research, and education in oral medicine.

12. For ACOM enquiries, please email Melanie Wilson at [email protected]

13. For CGDent enquiries, please [email protected]

14. For ADH enquiries, please email Rosie Pearce at [email protected]

15. For BDA enquiries, please email [email protected]

16. For BAOS enquiries, please email [email protected]

17. For SAPG-Dental enquiries, please email [email protected]

18. For BSAC enquiries, please email Tracey Guise at [email protected]

19. For FDS RCSEng enquiries, please email [email protected]

20. For FDS RCSEd, please email [email protected]

21. For FDS RCPSG, please email [email protected]

22. For BISOM enquiries, please email [email protected]