Clear as mud: Antibiotic stewardship in dentistry

As the marvels of antibiotics became known and their use grew, our understanding of their limitations did as well. Through decades of antibiotic overuse we are now seeing the rise of super bacteria, organisms that have evolved means to evade traditional antibiotics. These “super bugs” are now causing serious, life-threatening infections. The situation is so serious in fact that in 2015 the World Health Organization called for global action to combat antibiotic resistance.

The American Dental Association, the American Heart Association, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and other medical...