Dental Infections

Excerpt

Dental infections originate in the tooth or its supporting structures and can spread to the surrounding tissues. When facial structures are compromised, the infection originates from necrotic pulp, periodontal pockets, or pericoronitis. Dental infections have always been common and were one of the leading causes of death hundreds of years ago. The London, England Bills of Mortality in the 1600s reported teeth infections as the 5th or 6th leading cause of death. In 1908, it was believed that dental infections were associated with 10% to 40% mortality. Fortunately, due to improved dental hygiene, modern dentistry, and antibiotics, dental infections are rarely life-threatening today.

Dental infections are not an uncommon presentation in the medical setting, mainly in emergency departments. Of all dental-related visits, dental abscesses account for the majority of cases. Patients may present to a medical hospital instead of a dental practice due to a variety of reasons, including financial constraints, lack of access to dental attention, dental anxiety, and the disbelief that antibiotics alone can solve the problem. As a consequence, medical practitioners may have to manage dental infections. Medical practitioners often have limited knowledge regarding dental infections, making these conditions challenging to manage. Furthermore, medical practitioners in the primary care setting have a unique opportunity to identify the early stages of dental infections, provide oral education, and make the appropriate referral to dental practitioners.