AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

Guideline on Use of Antibiotic Therapy for

Pediatric Dental Patients
Originating Council
Council on Clinical Affairs

Review Council
Council on Clinical Affairs

Adopted
2001

Revised
2005, 2009, 2014

Purpose

Recommendations

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recognizes the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. This guideline is intended to provide guidance in
the proper and judicious use of antibiotic therapy in the
treatment of oral conditions.1

Conservative use of antibiotics is indicated to minimize the

risk of developing resistance to current antibiotic regimens. 2,3
Practitioners should adhere to the following general principles
when prescribing antibiotics for the pediatric population.

Methods
This guideline is an update of the previous document adopted
in 2001 and last revised in 2009. The revision was based
upon a new systematic literature search of the PubMed
electronic database using the following parameters: Terms:
antibiotic therapy, antibacterial agents, antimicrobial agents,
dental trauma, oral wound management, orofacial infections,
periodontal disease, viral disease, and oral contraception;
Fields: all; Limits: within the last 10 years, humans, English,
clinical trials, birth through age 18. One hundred sixty-five
articles matched these criteria. Papers for review were chosen
from this search and from hand searching. When data did
not appear sufficient or were inconclusive, recommendations
were based upon expert and/or consensus opinion by experienced researchers and clinicians.

Background
Antibiotics are beneficial in patient care when prescribed and
administered correctly for bacterial infections. However, the
widespread use of antibiotics has permitted common bacteria
to develop resistance to drugs that once controlled them.1-3
Drug resistance is prevalent throughout the world.3 Some
microorganisms may develop resistance to a single antimicrobial agent, while others develop multidrug-resistant
strains.2,3 To diminish the rate at which resistance is increasing, health care providers must be prudent in the use of
antibiotics.1

Oral wound management

Factors related to host risk (eg, age, systemic illness, malnutrition) and type of wound (eg, laceration, puncture) must be
evaluated when determining the risk for infection and subsequent need for antibiotics. Wounds can be classified as clean,
potentially contaminated, or contaminated/dirty. Facial
lacerations may require topical antibiotic agents. 4 Intraoral
lacerations that appear to have been contaminated by extrinsic
bacteria, open fractures, and joint injury have an increased risk
of infection and should be covered with antibiotics.4 If it is
determined that antibiotics would be beneficial to the healing
process, the timing of the administration of antibiotics is
critical to supplement the natural host resistance in bacterial
killing. The drug should be administered as soon as possible for
the best result. The most effective route of drug administration
(intravenous vs. intramuscular vs. oral) must be considered.
The clinical effectiveness of the drug must be monitored. The
minimal duration of drug therapy should be five days beyond
the point of substantial improvement or resolution of signs
and symptoms; this is usually a five- to seven-day course of
treatment dependent upon the specific drug selected.5-7 In
light of the growing problem of drug resistance, the clinician
should consider altering or discontinuing antibiotics following
determination of either ineffectiveness or cure prior to completion of a full course of therapy.8 If the infection is not responsive to the initial drug selection, a culture and susceptibility
testing of isolates from the infective site may be indicated.

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Special conditions
Pulpitis/apical periodontitis/draining sinus tract/localized intraoral swelling
Bacteria can gain access to the pulpal tissue through caries,
exposed pulp or dentinal tubules, cracks into the dentin, and
defective restorations. If a child presents with acute symptoms
of pulpitis, treatment (ie, pulpotomy, pulpectomy, or extraction)
should be rendered. Antibiotic therapy usually is not
indicated if the dental infection is contained within the
pulpal tissue or the immediate surrounding tissue. In this
case, the child will have no systemic signs of an infection
(ie, no fever and no facial swelling).9,10
Consideration for use of antibiotics should be given in cases
of advanced non-odontogenic bacterial infections such as
staphylococcal mucositis, tuberculosis, gonococcal stomatitis,
and oral syphilis. If suspected, it is best to refer patients for
culture, biopsy, or other laboratory tests for documentation
and definitive treatment.
Acute facial swelling of dental origin
A child presenting with a facial swelling or facial cellulitis secondary to an odontogenic infection should receive prompt
dental attention. In most situations, immediate surgical intervention is appropriate and contributes to a more rapid cure.12
The clinician should consider age, the ability to obtain adequate
anesthesia (local vs. general), the severity of the infection, the
medical status, and any social issues of the child.11,12 Signs
of systemic involvement (ie, fever, asymmetry, facial swelling)
warrant emergency treatment. Intravenous antibiotic therapy
and/or referral for medical management may be indicated.9-11
Penicillin remains the empirical choice for odontogenic
infections; however, consideration of additional adjunctive
antimicrobial therapy (ie, metronidazole) can be given where
there is anaerobic bacterial involvement.8
Dental trauma
Systemic antibiotics have been recommended as adjunctive therapy for avulsed permanent incisors with an open or
closed apex.14-17 Tetracycline (doxycycline twice daily for seven
days) is the drug of choice, but consideration of the childs
age must be exercised in the systemic use of tetracycline due
to the risk of discoloration in the developing permanent
dentition.13,14 Penicillin V or amoxicillin can be given as an
alternative.14,15,17 The use of topical antibiotics to induce pulpal
revascularization in immature non-vital traumatized teeth
has shown some potential.14,15,17,18 However, further randomized clinical trials are needed.19-21 For luxation injuries in the
primary dentition, antibiotics generally are not indicated.22,23
Antibiotics can be warranted in cases of concomitant soft
tissue injuries (see Oral wound management) and when
dictated by the patients medical status.

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CLINICAL PRAC TICE GUIDELINES

Pediatric periodontal diseases

Dental plaque-induced gingivitis does not require antibiotic
therapy. Pediatric patients with aggressive periodontal diseases
may require adjunctive antimicrobial therapy in conjunction
with localized treatment.24 In pediatric periodontal diseases
associated with systemic disease (eg, severe congenital neutropenia, Papillon-Lefvre syndrome, leukocyte adhesion
deficiency), the immune system is unable to control the
growth of periodontal pathogens and, in some cases, treatment
may involve antibiotic therapy.24,25 The use of systemic antibiotics has been recommended as adjunctive treatment to
mechanical debridement in patients with aggressive periodontal disease.24,25 In severe and refractory cases, extraction is
indicated.24,25 Culture and susceptibility testing of isolates from
the involved sites are helpful in guiding the drug selection.24,25
Viral diseases
Conditions of viral origin such as acute primary herpetic gingivostomatitis should not be treated with antibiotic therapy
unless there is strong evidence to indicate that a secondary
bacterial infection exists.26
Salivary gland infections
Many salivary gland infections, following confirmation of
bacterial etiology, will respond favorable to antibiotic therapy.
Acute bacterial parotitis has two forms: hospital acquired and
community acquired.27 Both can be treated with antibiotics.
Hospital acquired usually requires intravenous antibiotics; oral
antibiotics are appropriate for community acquired. Chronic
recurrent juvenile parotitis generally occurs prior to puberty.
Antibiotic therapy is recommended and has been successful.27
For both acute bacterial submandibular sialadenitis and chronic recurrent submandibular sialadenitis, antibiotic therapy is
included as part of the treatment.27
Oral contraceptive use
Whenever an antibiotic is prescribed to a female patient
taking oral contraceptives to prevent pregnancy, the patient
must be advised to use additional techniques of birth control
during antibiotic therapy and for at least one week beyond the
last dose, as the antibiotic may render the oral contraceptive
ineffective.28,29 Rifampicin has been documented to decrease
the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.28,29 Other antibiotics,
particularly tetracycline and penicillin derivatives, have been
shown to cause significant decrease in the plasma concentrations of ethinyl estradiol, causing ovulation in some individuals
taking oral contraceptives. 28,29 Caution is advised with the
concomitant use of antibiotics and oral contraceptives.28,29

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

References
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Am 2007;25(1):159-76.
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St. Louis, Mo: 2004:1217-336.
6. Kuriyama T, Karasawa T, Nakagawa K, Saiki Y, Yamamoto
E, Nakamura S. Bacteriological features and antimicrobial susceptibility in isolates from orofacial odontogenic
infections. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol
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use of antibiotics for pain relief in irreversible pulpitis.
J Endod 2006;32(2):87-92.
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12. Johri A, Piecuch JF. Should teeth be extracted immediately in the presence of acute infection? Oral Maxillofac
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and Color Atlas of Traumatic Injuries to the Teeth, 4th
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1 Fractures and luxations of permanent teeth. Dent
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M. Pulp revascularization of immature dog teeth with
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24. American Academy of Periodontology Research, Science
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