Infective endocarditis
Infective endocarditis
- NICE recommends that antibiotic prophylaxis against infective endocarditis should not be used routinely in patients undergoing dental procedures.
- There is a sub-group of individuals at high risk of infective endocarditis who may benefit from antibiotic prophylaxis. Refer to the SDCEP Antibiotic Prophylaxis Against Infective Endocarditis implementation advice, for information on the management of these patients.
- There is no evidence that prophylaxis is of any benefit in patients with prosthetic joints.
More about Infective endocarditis
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Clinical Guideline 64 Prophylaxis Against Infective Endocarditis (CG64) states:
Antibiotic prophylaxis against infective endocarditis is not recommended routinely for people undergoing dental procedures.
CG64 refers users to implementation advice provided by SDCEP, first published in 2018 and updated in 2026, for advice on antibiotic prophylaxis for people at high risk of infective endocarditis undergoing dental procedures.
SDCEP’s Antibiotic Prophylaxis Against Infective Endocarditis resource offers practical advice on implementing NICE Clinical Guideline 64 in dental practice.
The BNF3 does not recommend antibiotic prophylaxis for dental treatment in patients with prosthetic joints as there is a lack of evidence that this offers any additional benefit in these patients and it is unacceptable to expose them to the potential adverse effects of antibiotics in these circumstances.