Too many GPs prescribing unnecessary antibiotics for toothache
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- Published: Wednesday, 13 April 2016 07:41
- Written by News Editor
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Over half of all patients who visited their GP with a dental problem in the last 10 years were not offered a long-term treatment for their pain and were instead prescribed antibiotics, often unnecessarily, new research has found. The study found many patients are visiting their GP rather than their dentist, and that over half of these consultations resulted in antibiotic prescribing, which is likely to be unhelpful, and potentially harmful.
Over half of all patients who visited their GP with a dental problem in the last 10 years were not offered a long-term treatment for their pain and were instead prescribed antibiotics, often unnecessarily, new research has found. The study published in the British Journal of General Practice found many patients are visiting their GP rather than their dentist, and that over half of these consultations resulted in antibiotic prescribing, which is likely to be unhelpful, and potentially harmful. In a 10 year retrospective study published in the British Journal of General Practice a team from Cardiff University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board examined dental consultations in UK general practice and the resultant number of antibiotics prescriptions.
“Our study found that many people visit their GP rather than their dentist when experiencing dental problems,” said Dr Anwen Cope, a qualified dentist and speciality trainee in Dental Public Health, who completed the research alongside colleagues from the Schools of Dentistry and Medicine at Cardiff University.
“Most dental problems cannot be comprehensively managed by a GP. This places an additional burden on already busy GPs when patients should be visiting a dentist. The best treatment for severe toothache remains an operative intervention like an extraction or root canal treatment. These treatments can only be undertaken by a dentist. Therefore, we would always encourage patients to see a dentist, rather than a GP, when experiencing dental problems.”
Main findings:
- Many patients with dental problems visit their GP rather than a dentist;
- Half of all patients who consulted their GP for a dental problem over the last 10 years were prescribed antibiotics;
- Antibiotics do not provide a definitive treatment for most common dental problems, and can cover up more serious problems.
- Concerns raised at the consequences for peoples’ long-term dental health and antibiotic resistance.
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