Prescription of Metronidazole in Paediatric Dentistry-An Evidence Based Approach

Abstract

Introduction: Metronidazole belongs to the nitroimidazole group of drugs, specifically anti-anaerobic in the nature and has a broad spectrum of activity against protozoa and anaerobic bacteria. Aim: The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the requisite for metronidazole prescription among children with pulpal infection either during treatment or postoperatively. Materials and Methods: An electronic literature search was done using databases PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, OVID and EBSCO Host from January 1991 to December 2015. Hand search were carried outbased on crossreferences, to find additional citations. Articles that met criteria such as randomised clinical trials, cross-sectional studies, invivo human studies were included. Search was confined to English language. The primary outcome was to evaluate the necessity of metronidazole prescription in children with pulpal pathology. Two independent evaluators were involved in the search and kappa statistics were used to evaluate intra & interexaminer reliability. Results: A total of 335 articles were available, among these, only two studies fulfilled established inclusion criteria. These available two studies were cross-sectional studies (Level III). Kappa statistics showed excellent inter and inter-examiner reliability. Conclusion: Although, metronidazole has antibacterial properties against anaerobic microorganisms, there is no clear evidence regarding its prescription among children with pulpal pathology. Further research is required to support or contradict the use of metronidazole prescription in children during or after pulp therapies.

Keywords

• antibiotics
• drug prescription
• nitromidazole group
• pulpitis