Infective Endocarditis Prophylaxis in Dentistry: Current Perspective

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a important heart disease with high morbidity and mortality. Current guidelines suggest antibiotic prohylaxis (AP) to individuals having high risk of IE. These include patients with background of IE, biological or a mechanical prosthetic valve, or a surgically constructed systemic or pulmonary conduit or shunt. The restriction of AP is due to concerns about increased comprehension regarding daily incidence of bacteraemia and antibiotic resistance. Many researchers have examined the effect of restricting AP on the incidence of IE and found different results. Since these studies are mostly observational, they could not establish a causal link between the limitation of AP and the change in the incidence of IE. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the studies evolving the incidence change of IE after the guideline revisions from year of 2007. And dental professionals should periodically visit ADA, AHA and ACC guidelines for updates on AP.