Aim. To determine the antibiotic prescribing habits for pulpal and periapical pathology among dentists in Hyderabad city, India. Methodology. A total of 246 questionnaires were distributed to all the dentists registered with the local dental branch. Demographic details and questions regarding type and dosage of antibiotics prescribed for allergic and nonallergic patients were recorded. Inferential statistics were performed, and was considered statistically significant. Results. The response rate for the study was 87.8%. Around 148 (68.5%) of respondents regularly prescribed antibiotics for endodontic management. The first antibiotic of choice for patients with no history of medical allergies was a combination of amoxicillin and metronidazole, followed by amoxicillin alone (29.1%). The first antibiotic of choice in case of allergy to penicillin was erythromycin. Necrotic pulp with acute apical periodontitis with swelling and moderate/severe preoperative symptom was the condition most commonly identified for antibiotic therapy (92.1%). Conclusion. The present study reveals that the overall antibiotic prescribing practices among this group of dentists were quite high, and there is a need for more educational initiatives to rationalize the use of antibiotics in dentistry. 1. Introduction In the health care industry, the advent of antibiotics constitutes one of the greatest revolutionary advancements. Dental infections are polymicrobial involving a combination of gram positive, gram negative, facultative anaerobes, and strict anaerobic bacteria [1]. Thus, antibiotics and analgesics account for a vast majority of medicines prescribed by the dentists. Penicillin and other antibiotics, which were initially viewed as miracle drugs for their ability to cure serious and often life-threatening diseases, were challenged by some defiant strains. Antibiotic resistance has become a serious public health concern. Reasons for the development of antimicrobial resistance could be due to overprescription by health care providers and improper use by patients [2]. In endodontics, it is recommended that antibiotics should be used only as an adjunct to definitive nonsurgical or surgical endodontic therapy [3]. Despite this, use of antibiotics has been observed on a regular basis in dental practice [3–8]. The literature review reveals that in India, there is no established pattern for prescription of antibiotic for various endodontic pathologies. The present study was aimed to determine the antibiotic prescribing practices for pulpal and periapical pathology among dentists in
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