Introduction:

The repeated exposure of different bacteria to various groups of antibiotics has caused a representative increase in antimicrobial resistance, constituting a global public health problem.

Objective:

Describe the impact of bacterial resistance on the choice of antibiotics in dentistry: a review of current trends.

Materials and methods:

A narrative, non-systematic review was applied regarding the impact of bacterial resistance on the choice of antibiotics in dentistry, which included 34 scientific works, made up of observational studies, reports and review articles. The search and collection of information was carried out in the databases: PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Scopus-Elsevier, during November and December 2023.

Results:

Antimicrobial resistance is due to some mechanisms specific to cells. bacteria such as: elimination of antibiotics by cell membrane extrusion pumps, reduction in the absorption of antimicrobials, enzymes that generate the inactivation or degradation of antibiotics, as well as mutations or alterations in the target site of the antibiotics, so it is The application of innovative strategies is necessary to counteract the growing bacterial resistance.

Conclusion:

The ability of bacteria in the oral cavity to form dental biofilms creates a habitat conducive to genetic exchange, which favors the transmission of resistance genes. Therefore, alternative strategies are currently being developed, which include antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents. Scientific research becomes an imperative need to address this therapeutic challenge in the dental field.