Why is it important that antibiotics be used responsibly?
Why is it important that antibiotics be used responsibly?
Consumption of antibiotics can not only affect you as an individual, but also the entire human community. Over time, with the improper use of antibiotics there is an increased resistance towards them.
Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance is the ability of a microorganism to withstand the effects of an antibiotic. An antibiotic is a specific type of medicine which is used to treat infections caused by bacteria. With the misuse of these medicines (over or under use) the bacteria under attack bring about changes in themselves. These changes enable the bacteria to resist the effect of antibiotic. The change in the bacteria does not bring about any change in its infection causing ability moreover it becomes more difficult to treat.
4 simple ways to avoid antibiotic resistance:
1. Always take the prescribed dose:
The entire dose of the antibiotic prescribed should be taken. DO NOT discontinue the antibiotic once there are no more symptoms of the infection. This is because; bacteria always need to be in certain number to cause infection. With the use of antibiotics the number of bacteria decreases causing the infection to be treated, but the bacteria are still around. If the entire dose isn’t taken (as prescribed by the doctor) the remaining bacteria then change themselves to become stronger and withstand the antibiotic. When infected next time the person might become resistant to the same antibiotic and another stronger antibiotic might be required till we run out of options.
2. Never self medicate:
Antibiotics should always be prescribed. It is also against the law to self medicate or buy antibiotics directly from the pharmacy without a prescription. Self medication can lead to consuming of the wrong antibiotic (there are specific antibiotics for specific bacteria). The self medicated antibiotic might also be taken in a wrong dosage resulting in the above mentioned issue.
3. Always prefer the mildest antibiotic effective:
Sometimes multiple antibiotics can be effective against the same infection. Self medication and preference of some doctors might lead to use of stronger medicines. It is always preferred to take the mildest effective antibiotic because:
- It has lesser side effects.
- If a stronger antibiotic is improperly used it generally causes resistance not only to the drug prescribed but also the milder drugs might get ineffective.
- If in any case the milder antibiotic is ineffective, the stronger antibiotic can be given easily.
4. Ask the doctor if the medicine is actually required:
In many cases doctors prescribe antibiotics even when not required. This is typically done to prevent any possible infection. Generally these medicines might not be required but are prescribed so that the doctor is on the safe side. Over consumption of antibiotic when not required can cause the same medicine to become ineffective when actually required. Ask us to be sure if you actually need to take the medicine for any dental procedure. Many times it has been observed that doctors directly prescribe antibiotics for resistant bacteria without there being any indication that the infecting bacteria is of the resistant strain .Even though this might not cause antibiotic resistance but it results in overdose which isn’t required and an increased toxicity that the body will then need to clear off. There are methods of testing if you have been infected by resistant bacteria. These include:
- The symptoms and severity of the infection.
- If the infection isn’t subsiding by the antibiotic being used.
- Antibiotic sensitivity test (this is a tedious test and is not generally done for regular infections).
The best way to deal with antibiotic resistance is by taking the least possible, mildest antibiotic that is effective for the infection. We need to act fast in order to tackle this issue. It’s time to act before we run out of options and simple infections become fatal.
