Bacterial resistance to antibiotics poses a threat to global health, and the WHO highlights the consequences of inappropriate and excessive antibiotic use. Scientific estimates from the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) alone show that more than 670,000 infections each year are caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, with around 33,000 deaths as a direct result.
While it affects different areas of medicine, professional dentists discuss that unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions can be avoided by choosing innovative oral care products instead to help patients recover from interventional dental procedures.
Now dentists prescribe analgesics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to patients after surgery, or antimicrobials to prevent infections. Edvinas Mileris, an implant surgeon working in Vilnius, Lithuania, and London, UK, notes that dentists could make a significant contribution to reducing the use of NSAIDs and antibiotics in their work by avoiding prescribing them to patients in some cases if they were more aware of the latest tools for helping patients recover after dental surgery.
Dentists often prescribe antibiotics to patients to prevent possible infections, but these unnecessary prescriptions cause serious harm. It is important to remember that antibiotics kill not only the bad bacteria that can cause infections but also the good bacteria that protect our bodies from disease and help prevent other health problems. And a major problem worldwide is the growing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics, which is the result of the overuse of these drugs in various fields."
Edvinas Mileris, Implant Surgeon
Alternative to antibiotics for less complex dental procedures
Dr. Mileris shares his experience of not rushing to prescribe antibiotics to patients if they are not needed. "We all need to understand that bacterial resistance is a global problem. On the other hand, from an individual point of view, antibiotics can lead to a variety of other health problems, such as weakened immunity, disturbed microbiota, etc. The less antibiotics we use, the better," says the doctor.
"If a patient undergoes a standard dental implant procedure without bone restoration, there is no need for antibiotics. Sometimes, even after such a procedure, there can be a slight inflammation and swelling of the gums, which can make healing a bit more difficult. Young implantologists are often frightened in such situations and, fearing a possible infection, give the patient antibiotics. However, in such cases, I can confidently recommend alternative oral care products, like Fitodenta, which are an excellent solution to such problems and speed up the healing process. Of course, while choosing alternative solutions, I explain to them why a remedy made from plant-based materials could be healthier in their case," says Dr. Mileris.
Solution accelerating recovery from dental procedures by 40%
A team of Lithuanian biotechnology scientists has developed Fitodenta products for recovery after dental surgery. The unique formula of the product consists of a combination of cannabinoids that work synergistically with other active substances of botanical origin whose therapeutic effects have been described in the European Pharmacopoeia.
"For example, if the guidelines and the patient's condition do not require antibiotics, and I have doubts about prescribing them to a patient, then I choose not harmful alternatives. I have been recommending these products to my patients for five years now, and so far it has always worked," says Dr. Mileris, adding that Fitodenta products reduce the risk of complications after dental operations or other surgical interventions, as the ingredients in the product have anti-inflammatory, pain-reducing and healing-accelerating properties, and the effects have been confirmed by clinical trials.
"My colleagues and I conducted a clinical study to see for ourselves that after more complex dental implant procedures, Fitodenta products significantly reduced pain and swelling, and when used in combination with traditional post-operative medications, in some cases including antibiotics, accelerated the healing process by as much as 40%," says Dr. Mileris.
Sometimes antibiotics are unavoidable
If the dental implant procedure is complex and involves bone restoration, antibiotics cannot be avoided. In some cases, unpleasant sensations after dental implants can plague patients for up to two weeks.
Then doctors must emphasize to patients the most important rules for taking antibiotics: only take medicines when prescribed by a doctor and stick to the course, and don't quit using medicine as soon as the discomfort goes away; don't take any antibiotics that are left over from a previous course of treatment; and don't share or take antibiotics prescribed to others.
The WHO reminds us that antibiotic resistance can affect people of any age, in any country. Antibiotic resistance leads to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and higher mortality. Responsible use of antibiotics is everyone's contribution to preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics and reducing the rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance.
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