The Health Education During Root Canal Therapy Reduces the Use of Antibiotics

Although antibiotics can effectively control infectious diseases, overuse of antibiotics can cause problems such as drug resistance. Pulpitis and apical periodontitis are among the most common infectious diseases in humans. To alleviate the intense tooth pain, patients often self-administer antibiotics. To guide patients in managing pulpitis and apical periodontitis more effectively, we designed a Root Canal Treatment Health Education Form and provided personalised guidance on antibiotic use during the treatment period. From January 2024 to March 2025, a total of 272 patients participated in this project. Benefiting from health education, the proportion of antibiotic use was significantly lower compared to the control group. Both patients and healthcare professionals involved in this health education program held positive attitudes towards the intervention. Our experience suggested that health education should be actively promoted in the treatment of pulpitis and apical periodontitis.