The aim of this study was to analyze the antibiotics prescription habits, both prophylactically and therapeutically, of Spanish general dental practitioners in the management of endodontic infections in primary care. Two hundred Spanish general dental practitioners were asked to respond to a survey on indications for antibiotics prescription in the treatment of endodontic infections, being 190 general dentists (95%) included in the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test. The average duration of antibiotics therapy was 6.5 ± 1.0 days. In patients without medical allergies, most of them (97%) selected amoxicillin as the antibiotic of the first choice, alone (51.1%) or associated with clavulanic acid (45.8%); in patients with penicillin allergies, the drug of choice was clindamycin 300 mg (70%). For cases of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis, 44% of the respondents prescribed antibiotics, in the scenario of prophylactic antibiotic prescription, up to 27% of the general dentists prescribe according to non-current guidelines (1 g 1 h before or 1 g 1 h before and 1 g 1 h after) in non-indicated cases (16% in patients taking oral bisphosphonates). It is necessary to improve the antibiotic prescription habits of Spanish general dentists in endodontics.

Background The inadequate use of antibiotics by dentists can contribute to antibiotic resistance. The European Society of Endodontology (ESE) has published a scientific evidence-based position on antibiotic use in endodontic infec-tions. The aim of this study was to analyze the antibiotics prescription habits of Spanish endodontists in the management of endodontic infections, comparing them with those they had 10 years ago, to assess the impact of the ESE awareness campaign and position statement on antibiotics in endodontics. Material and Methods One hundred Spanish endodontists were requested to answer to a one-page survey, similar to that used previously ten years ago in another study, on indications for systemic antibiotics in the management of endodontic infections. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Seventy-seven endodontists (77%) completed satisfactorily the survey and were included in the study. Results The average duration of antibiotic therapy was 5.64 ± 1.75 days. In patients with no medical allergies, 97.1% selected amoxicillin as the first-choice antibiotic. The first drug of choice for patients with an allergy to penicillin, was clindamycin 300 mg (74.03%). For cases of pulp necrosis with asymptomatic apical periodontitis, fistulous tract and mild/symptomatic symptoms, 100% of endodontists would prescribe antibiotics. For the scenario of a pulp necrosis with symptomatic periodontitis apical and no swelling, 20% endodontists would prescribe antibiotics. Conclusions Antibiotics prescription habits of Spanish endodontists has improved after the ESE awareness campaign and position statement on antibiotics in endodontics. Even so, there are a percentage of professionals that still prescribe antibiotics erro-neously. Key words: Antibiotic, antibiotics resistance, dentistry, endodontists, endodontics, prescription habits, primary care