This Antibiotic Awareness Week we’re joining with health organisations around the world to promote the appropriate and safe use of antibiotics. Antibiotics are very precious and we are raising awareness of the problem of antibiotic resistance.

Everybody can be part of the solution – whenever antibiotics must be used, they must be used with care. For dental infections, antibiotics are used very rarely as they alone are not effective as a treatment for routine gum or tooth infections. In most cases treating the cause will sort the infection without need for antibiotics. One of our biggest priorities is patient comfort at all times and antibiotics have not been shown to improve healing time or pain levels in routine treatments. However, we will not hesitate to prescribe antibiotics where they are needed.

The main problem with antibiotic use when it is not helpful or indicated is that the germs (or, bacteria) in your body can become resistant to them over time. This is becoming increasingly common and represents a huge developing issue in the medical community.

Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria stop an antibiotic from working effectively – without effective antibiotics some procedures may not be possible and some infections could be impossible to treat. Learn more about the importance of keeping antibiotics effective at www.safetyandquality.gov.au/aaw