Alcohol Consumption and Irrational Use of Antimicrobials: Perception and Practices among Dentistry Students

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The consumption of antimicrobials together with alcoholic beverages can lead to complications in patient treatment. In addition to delaying patient recovery, it may contribute to the development of bacterial resistance due to incorrect treatment or self-medication. OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of antibiotics concomitantly with alcohol consumption among undergraduate students at UNIPAR Cascavel-PR. METHODOLOGY: The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR, CAAE: 89119425.1.0000.0109) and consisted of a cross-sectional study with Dentistry students from the Cascavel campus, Paraná, Brazil. Data were collected through a digital questionnaire and included epidemiological information and participant characteristics. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis, with results presented in tables, charts, and measures of central tendency. RESULTS: A total of 150 Dentistry students participated in the study, of whom 77.5% were female and 21.9% were male, with a predominance of the 18–24 age group (86.8%). It was found that 53.6% of the students had used antibiotics on their own or based on advice from others, and 62.3% reported having discontinued treatment before the prescribed end. Regarding alcohol consumption, 70.9% reported drinking alcoholic beverages regularly, and 30.5% stated they consumed alcohol while taking antibiotics; of these, 17.9% noticed a change in treatment outcome. Amoxicillin was the most commonly reported antimicrobial. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that self-medication and inappropriate use of antibiotics are still common among healthcare students, potentially contributing to bacterial resistance. A high rate of alcohol consumption during antibiotic therapy was also observed, which may compromise antimicrobial efficacy. These findings reinforce the importance of educational initiatives on the rational use of medications and highlight the crucial role of dentists and other healthcare professionals in responsible prescribing and the prevention of adverse reactions, contributing to both individual and public health protection.