Icelandic Dentists Prescribe Antibiotics More Than Their Nordic Colleagues

Icelandic dentists prescribe antibiotics to more individuals than their Nordic counterparts, but more often choose narrow-spectrum antibiotics, which affect a limited group of bacteria, according to a report from the Icelandic Dental Association.

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The article analysed dentists’ prescriptions between 2010 and 2021. Dentists’ prescriptions for antibiotics in Iceland during this period were commonly for the oldest age group, 65 years and older, reports RÚV.

Dental prescriptions make up about 7% of total antibiotic use in the country. Antibiotic use in Iceland is close to the European average but higher than other Nordic countries. There was a general decline antibiotic usage in Iceland in 2020 because of pandemic safety measures.

The antibiotic most commonly prescribed by dentists during the period was phenoxymethylpenicillin, which accounted for about 40% of all prescriptions in 2021. Amoxicillin was second most prescribed at 26%, followed by amoxicillin with enzyme inhibitors at 21%.

Health-related tourism, such as people traveling for dental work, can contribute to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from countries where antibiotic resistance is widespread and severe.