No significant protective effect of Antibiotic prophylaxis on post-extraction complications: Study
Antibiotic prophylaxis has no significant protective effect on post-extraction complications suggests a study published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry.
The study was aimed to evaluate the association between antibiotic prophylaxis and adverse outcomes following tooth extraction within the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. They conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing dental extractions in 2015–2019. The primary exposure was antibiotic prophylaxis. The primary outcome was post-extraction complication within 7 days (e.g., alveolar osteitis and surgical site infection); the secondary outcome was subsequent medical care relating to a post-extraction oral complication within 7 days. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the independent effect of antibiotic prophylaxis on each outcome. Results: Of 385,880 visits with a dental extraction, 122,810 (31.8%) received antibiotic prophylaxis. Overall, 3387 (0.9%) experienced a post-extraction complication and 350 (0.09%) received medical care relating to a post-extraction oral complication within 7 days. In multivariable regression, diabetes was a statistically significant (p = 0.01) effect modifier of the association between antibiotic prophylaxis and post-extraction complication. Among visits for patients without diabetes, antibiotic prophylaxis was significantly associated with an increased odds of post-extraction complication (odds ratio [OR] = 1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13–1.38), but among visits for patients with diabetes no significant effect was observed (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.92–1.15). Antibiotic prophylaxis was not significantly associated with post-extraction medical care (OR = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.83–1.30). In this large retrospective cohort, we observed no significant protective effect of antibiotic prophylaxis on post-extraction complications or subsequent medical care utilization in a setting with low complication rates. These data suggest that use of antibiotic prophylaxis in similar settings may need to be re-evaluated to minimize unnecessary antibiotic use.
Reference:
McGregor JC, Wilson GM, Gibson G, Jurasic MM, Evans CT, Suda KJ. The effect of antibiotic premedication on postoperative complications following dental extractions. J Public Health Dent. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/jphd.12634
Keywords:
Antibiotic, prophylaxis, significant, protective, effect, post-extraction, complications, study, McGregor JC, Wilson GM, Gibson G, Jurasic MM, Evans CT, Suda KJ, Journal of Public Health Dentistry
Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.
NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.