Antimicrobial resistance can affect a wide range of organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, which are usually treated with antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics respectively. There are a number of factors thought to accelerate antimicrobial resistance, including the inappropriate use of antimicrobial drugs and poor infection prevention and control practices.[i]
Dental practitioners must remain abreast of the latest news regarding antimicrobial resistance in order to minimise the risks for their patients, and the wider public.
Antimicrobials in dentistry
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global issue, including within dentistry, which accounts for around 10% of all antibiotic prescriptions in UK primary care.[ii] As mentioned, inappropriate use of antibiotics is a significant contributor to resistance, and there has been evidence of this in dentistry.[iii] Irresponsible use encompasses a variety of instances:
- Prescribing without infection or where local measures would be sufficient
- Prescribing prophylactically without indication
- Using incorrect dose or treatment duration
- Use of wrong antimicrobial for the type of infection
- Not adjusting treatment when culture data made available
- Administering with IV when oral appropriate
- Choosing incorrect medicine for patients with an allergyiii
In situations where they’re generally accepted to be indicated – as an adjunct to manage infections, where final treatment must be delayed, or to prevent infections associated with specific dental treatments – safe and effective use of antimicrobials is paramount. This means prescribing the right medicine for the right clinical indication at the right time, dose, and route with minimal risk of resistance for the patient and future patients.iii
What are the risks?
Antimicrobial resistance puts public health at risk as it undermines the efficacy of commonly used medicine – not just for individuals, but for the population in general. The UK government commissioned a review that found antimicrobial resistance may kill 10 million people per year by 2050[iv] – stressing the important role that individuals and the wider profession can play now to prevent further instances of this.
If resistance keeps rising, and infections become more difficult to treat, more people will be sicker for longer. Ultimately, this results in longer hospital stays, routine surgery becoming more dangerous, and death rates rising as predicted. Therefore, the impact of antimicrobial resistance is large and wide reaching – having a detrimental effect on dentistry and healthcare as we know it.i
Enhanced infection control protocols for improved safety
When addressing antimicrobial resistance, infection control is critical. Preventing infection transmission reduces the need for antibiotics, in turn preventing the development and spread of resistant bacteria.[v]
By implementing effective infection control in the practice, dental professionals, their teams, and their patients can help to break the chain of infection. The chain of infection has multiple stages: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host. There are a number of points in this cycle at which the chair of transmission could be interrupted – stopping or slowing the spread of infection. These include hand hygiene, wearing appropriate PPE, decontamination of instruments and equipment in between patients, cleaning the environment, isolating infected patients, and safe handling of food, water, linens, and sharps.[vi] If at least one of these actions are taken to break the chain, the infection will be prevented from spreading further. For the best outcomes, these actions should be targeted depending on the specific organism or environment.vi
In order to stop the spread of infection between patients in the dental practice, high quality instrument sterilisation is vital. Eschmann has been designing and manufacturing autoclaves for more than 60 years. The modern range includes the Little Sister SES 3020B vacuum autoclave, which offers a 23-litre capacity, and a choice of both ‘B’ and ‘N’ type cycles to accommodate every type of instrument and load. It also has multiple microprocessors that independently control and verify each cycle, giving you peace of mind that your instruments are being sterilised effectively.
Antimicrobial resistance presents a unique risk, which makes correct prescribing and effective infection control absolutely essential. By preventing the spread of infection within dental settings, fewer patients will require antibiotics to treat them, and resistant bacteria will be less likely develop and spread. By breaking the chain of infection, dental professionals and their wider team can play their role in keeping their patients, the public, and themselves safer.
Author: Nicky Varney – Head of Marketing at Eschmann
For more information on the highly effective range of infection control products from Eschmann, including the industry-leading autoclave range, please visit www.eschmann.co.uk or call 01903 753322
[i] NHS England. Antimicrobial resistance. Accessed April 26: https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/prevention/antimicrobial-resistance-amr/
[ii] BDA. Antimicrobial resistance. Accessed April 26: https://www.bda.org/representation/priorities/improving-oral-health/antimicrobial-resistance/
[iii] RCSEng. Antimicrobial Prescribing in Dentistry. Accessed April 26: https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/files/rcs/fds/publications/fds-amp-2020.pdf
[iv] Farzinnia, Golnoush et al. “Antimicrobial Resistance in Oral Healthcare: A Growing Concern in Dentistry.” Dentistry journal vol. 13,9 391. 28 Aug. 2025, doi:10.3390/dj13090391
[v] WHO. Improving infection prevention and control to prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Accessed April 26: https://www.who.int/europe/activities/improving-infection-prevention-and-control-to-prevent-the-spread-of-antimicrobial-resistance
[vi] GOV. Health matters preventing infections and reducing antimicrobial resistance. Accessed April 26: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-preventing-infections-and-reducing-amr/health-matters-preventing-infections-and-reducing-antimicrobial-resistance
