BDA warns against ‘reckless’ dental antibiotic prescribing

The British Dental Association (BDA) has warned against the reckless and ill-advised prescription of antibiotics to dental patients before they have been seen by a professional in the field.

A report published in last week's Sunday Mirror showed that an undercover journalist was able to secure an online antibiotic prescription on several occasions after simply filling out a questionnaire, never once being seen by a medical professional before the drugs were handed over.

The risks that this carries are abundant, with the report raising concerns that patients who are not ill or who are addicted to over-the-counter medication may have their health harmed by such easy access to prescription drugs.

Russ Ladwa, chair of the BDA's Health and Science Committee, expressed his concerns about this situation, as antibiotics cannot be used to successfully cure dental abscesses, despite some online pharmacists claiming this is the case. He explained that surgical intervention tends to be the only cure for such ailments and said that it is wrong to mislead patients.

"It doesn't help that some online pharmacies are dishing out antibiotics like Smarties for dental problems, which sends out completely the wrong message to patients," Mr Ladwa stated.

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