Prescription of Antibiotics and Corticosteroids Following Endodontic Procedures: Study of General Dentists in Qazvin, Iran

Introduction Antibiotic resistance is an alarming development. One of the major causes of antibiotic resistance is the improper prescription of antibiotics. This study sought to assess prescription of antibiotics and corticosteroids following endodontic procedures by general dentists practicing in Qazvin City, Iran. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on all 108 general dentists practicing in Qazvin City, Iran in 2016. The relevant data were collected using a questionnaire. Then, the obtained data were analyzed via Chi-square test, ANOVA, Independent t-test, and Pearson correlation test using SPSS version 20. Results The first and second choice antibiotics prescribed by general dentists for patients not allergic to penicillin were penicillin V (35.1%) and amoxicillin (20.8%). For allergic patients, clindamycin (29.9%) and metronidazole (20.8%) were the first and second choice. Most dentists (44.2%) prescribed antibiotics for cellulitis. In case of persistence of systemic signs/symptoms of infection for more than 2-3 days, 24.7% of dentists prescribed penicillin injection and 23.4% prescribed metronidazole. For life-threatening infections, 44.2% prescribed amoxicillin plus metronidazole and 16.1% prescribed amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid. None of the responses for antibiotic prophylaxis were complete. Regarding the administration of corticosteroids, 40.3% preferred extra-oral intramuscular injection and 13% preferred tablets. Regarding contraindications for corticosteroid therapy, 9.1% of dentists gave a correct response. There was no significant correlation between gender and information (P=0.48), but the correlation between age and information was inverse and statistically significant (P=0.04). Conclusion The majority of contributed dentists in this study had insufficient information and needed further educational courses in this respect.