Wiping out the protective bacteria can allow the growth of Clostridium difficile (C diff) bacteria, leading to severe and potentially deadly diarrhoea. Researchers from Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) in the US interviewed 1,626 people with community-associated C diff between 2009 and 2015. Of those, 926 (57 per cent) reported they had been prescribed antibiotics, 136 (15 per cent) of those for dental procedures. The study found that patients who were prescribed antibiotics for dental procedures tended to be older and more likely to receive clindamycin, an antibiotic that is associated with C diff infection. Of those who had received antibiotics for a dental procedure, 34 per cent had no mention of antibiotics in their medical charts, illustrating the disconnect between dental and medical care, researchers said.

Source: India Today October 07, 2017 10:30 UTC