Selective and intelligent use of antibiotics in endodontics.

Antibiotics have been used extensively for the management of odontogenic infections since their discovery early this century. Although they have been invaluable in the management of acute and severe infections, many members of the dental and medical professions have unfortunately used these drugs inappropriately for the management of dental pain when "local" dental treatment would have sufficed. This, and the general over-use of antibiotics in other situations such as for growth enhancement in animals for human consumption, is leading to the widespread development of strains of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics--hence, their effectiveness is being reduced at a rapid rate. The dental profession has a responsibility to patients and to the community as a whole to restrict the use of antibiotics to those situations that actually require them. This philosophy should also be extended to other professions who may be called upon to manage dental pain at times.