Bacteremia Associated With Oral Surgery: A Review

Stroke Caused by Vasculitis Induced by Periodontitis-Associated Oral Bacteria after Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Invasive dental procedures, such as wisdom teeth removal, have been identified as potential triggers for vascular events due to the entry of oral bacteria into the bloodstream, leading to acute vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. This study presents the case of a 27-year-old healthy male who developed ischemic stroke resulting from bacteremia after undergoing wisdom teeth extraction. Initially, the patient experienced fever and malaise, which were followed by right-sided hemiplegia. Diagnostic imaging, including a CT scan, identified a subacute infarction in the posterior crus of the left internal capsule, and MRI findings indicated inflammatory changes in the masticatory muscles. Further investigations involving biopsies of the masticatory muscles, along with blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples, confirmed bacterial meningitis with associated vasculitis. Notably, oral bacteria linked to periodontitis, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tannerella forsythia, and Parvimonas micra, were found in the biopsies and microbiological analyses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case showing that bacteremia following dental procedures can lead to such severe neurological outcomes. This case underscores the importance of recognizing bacteremia-induced vasculitis in patients presenting with neurological symptoms post-dental procedures, emphasizing the broader implications of oral infections in such pathologies.

Assessment of Oral Health-Care Needs for Patients under Palliative Care

Background:

Patients under palliative care and their caregivers often ignore the dental treatment and oral hygiene needs as a result of which they face many day to day problems, which include difficulty in chewing, halitosis, and dry mouth eventually deteriorating the quality of life.

Objective:

The aim of this study is to understand the oral needs and oral health-related concerns of the patients under palliative care.

Methodology:

A total of eight patients agreed to enroll in the study. A detailed interview with oral examination, including Sillness and Loe Plaque Index and Decayed Missing and Filled Teeth (dmft) Index, was recorded. Patients were also given the treatment needed if willing for the same.

Results:

In our study, we observed that the mean dmft scores of dentulous patients were 7.96 ± 3.35, and mean plaque score was 1.75 ± 2.12, which was significantly higher and further highlights the need for dental treatment.

Conclusion:

The patients under palliative care have many oral problems such as dry mouth, difficulty in eating, halitosis which needs to be addressed; hence, dental health plays an important role in improving the quality of life of these patients.

Altered oral and gut microbiota and its association with SARS-CoV-2 viral load in COVID-19 patients during hospitalization

The human oral and gut commensal microbes play vital roles in the development and maintenance of immune homeostasis, while its association with susceptibility and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection is barely understood. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of the oral and intestinal flora before and after the clearance of SARS-CoV-2 in 53 COVID-19 patients, and then examined their microbiome alterations in comparison to 76 healthy individuals. A total of 140 throat swab samples and 81 fecal samples from these COVID-19 patients during hospitalization, and 44 throat swab samples and 32 fecal samples from sex and age-matched healthy individuals were collected and then subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing and viral load inspection. We found that SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with alterations of the microbiome community in patients as indicated by both alpha and beta diversity indexes. Several bacterial taxa were identified related to SARS-CoV-2 infection, wherein elevated Granulicatella and Rothia mucilaginosa were found in both oral and gut microbiome. The SARS-CoV-2 viral load in those samples was also calculated to identify potential dynamics between COVID-19 and the microbiome. These findings provide a meaningful baseline for microbes in the digestive tract of COVID-19 patients and will shed light on new dimensions for disease pathophysiology, potential microbial biomarkers, and treatment strategies for COVID-19.

How do specialist surgeons treat the atrophic tooth gap? A vignette-based study among maxillofacial and oral surgeons

BACKGROUND

There is little information available regarding the decision-making process of clinicians, especially in the choice of therapy for a severely atrophic tooth gap. The aim of this research was to use case vignettes to determine the influence of possible factors on the decision making of maxillofacial and oral surgeons.

METHODS

A total of 250 maxillofacial (MFS) and oral (OS) surgeons in southern Germany were surveyed for atrophic single- or multiple-tooth gap with the help of case vignettes. The influence of different determinants on the therapy decision was investigated. Two case vignettes were designed for this purpose: vignette 1 with determinants "patient age" and "endocarditis prophylaxis" and vignette 2 with determinants "anxiety" and "bisphosphonate therapy". Furthermore, the specialist designation was assessed for both. The options available to achieve a sufficient implant site were "bone split", "bone block", "augmentation with bone substitute material" and "bone resection". Therapy was either recommended or rejected based on principle.

RESULTS

A total of 117 participants returned the questionnaire: 68 (58%) were OS and 49 (42%) MFS. "Patient age" and "patient anxiety" were not significantly associated with any therapy decision. However, required "endocarditis prophylaxis" led to significantly higher refusal rates for "bone split", "bone block" and "bone replacement material" and to higher rates of general refusal of a therapy. "Bisphosphonate therapy" was significantly associated with general refusal of therapy, but with no significant correlation with different therapy options. In vignette 1, OS refused therapy significantly more often than MFS, though there was no association with the specialist designation for other therapy modalities. In vignette 2, specialty was not significantly associated with the therapy decision.

CONCLUSION

"Patient age" as well as "patient anxiety" appear to have no or little influence on the treatment decision for severely atrophic single- or multiple-tooth gap by specialist surgeons. Surgeons more often refuse treatment for patients with endocarditis prophylaxis and bisphosphonate therapy.

Relationship between 18F-FDG Uptake in the Oral Cavity, Recent Dental Treatments, and Oral Inflammation or Infection: A Retrospective Study of Patients with Suspected Endocarditis

[18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ([18F]FDG PET/CT) has proven to be a useful diagnostic tool in patients with suspected infective endocarditis (IE), but is conflicting in relation to dental procedures.

QUESTIONS

Is there a correlation between [18F]FDG PET/CT findings, recent dental treatment, and an affected oral cavity? (2) Is there a correlation between infective endocarditis (IE), oral health status, and (extra)cardiac findings on [18F]FDG PET/CT?

METHODS

This retrospective study included 52 patients. All [18F]FDG PET/CT scans were examined visually by pattern recognition using a three-point scale and semi-quantified within the volume of interest (VOI) using SUVmax.

RESULTS

19 patients were diagnosed with IE (group 1), 14 with possible IE (group 2), and 19 without IE based on the modified Duke criteria (group 3). No correlation was found between visual PET and SUVmax and sites of oral inflammation and infection. The visual PET scores and SUVmax were not significantly different between all groups. A significant difference in the SUVmax of the valve between all groups was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that no correlation exists between the PET findings in the oral cavity and dental treatments or inflammation/infection. No correlation between IE, actual oral health status, and extra-cardiac findings was demonstrated. Additional research is needed to conclude whether [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging is a reliable diagnostic modality for oral inflammation and infection sites.

Is there a Role for Antibiotic Prophylaxis Prior to Dental Procedures in Patients with Total Joint Arthroplasty? A Systematic Review of the Literature

Background: The indication of prophylactic antibiotics prior to dental procedures for non-infected causes in order to reduce the risk of haematogenous periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains as controversial. We performed a systematic review of the literature assessing the relationship between PJI and invasive dental procedures and whether there is evidence to support the use of antibiotic prophylaxis. Methods: This review was conducted in accordance with the 2009 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for studies focusing on dental procedures after TJA, reporting on PJI as an outcome. The methodological quality was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale for case-control and cohort studies and by the tool proposed by Murad et al. for observational studies. Results: Our systematic literature review yielded 90 individual studies, of which 9 met the inclusion criteria. The overall infection rate ranged from 0.26% to 2.12%. Of these, cases associated with a dental procedure ranged from 0% to 15.9%. Five of the studies described cases in which antibiotic prophylaxis was administered; however, no clear algorithm regarding type and dosage of antibiotic was mentioned. When assessing the methodological quality of the evidence, all studies had an overall low to moderate quality. Conclusion: The current systematic review, mostly composed of low-quality studies, suggests that there is no direct evidence to indicate prophylactic antibiotics prior to dental procedures in patients with TJA. In line with the current guidelines, no prophylaxis should be used on interventions for non-infected causes, except for occasional unusual situations, which can then be judged individually.

Prevention of Postdental Procedure Bacteremia: A Network Meta-analysis

Postdental procedure bacteremia is common and troublesome. The comparative efficacy of multiple prophylactic interventions is unclear. We compared the efficacy of interventions for the prevention of postdental procedure bacteremia. We conducted a review of ClinicalKey, Cochrane CENTRAL, Embase, ProQuest, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to December 4, 2018. Randomized controlled trials that evaluated prophylactic interventions for the prevention of postdental procedure bacteremia were eligible. The primary outcome was the incidence of postdental procedure bacteremia. A total of 24 trials were included with 2,147 participants. Our network meta-analysis demonstrated that intravenous administration of 1,000/200 mg of amoxicillin/clavulanate provided the least incidence of postdental procedure bacteremia among all the prophylactic interventions (odds ratio = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.00 to 0.63) as compared with the placebo/controls. Oral 3 g of amoxicillin had the least incidence of postdental procedure bacteremia among all oral or topical forms of prophylactic interventions (odds ratio = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.02 to 0.44) as compared with the placebo/controls. No serious adverse events, such as anaphylactic shock, mortality, and the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, were reported. None of the included subjects were of high risk of infectious endocarditis. Our network meta-analysis demonstrates that intravenous amoxicillin/clavulanate and oral amoxicillin might be the best prophylactic interventions in preventing postdental procedure bacteremia among all the oral/topical forms of interventions for the overall populations.

Assessment of the bioavailability of an antibiotic prophylactic protocol in patients undergoing third molar surgery

The aim of this prospective study was to determine the antibiotic bioavailability of a prophylactic protocol in patients undergoing third molar surgery. Samples from 25 patients were analysed (average age 21 ± 3.89 years, range 18-33 years; 14 female). The patients received single-dose prophylaxis of 2 g amoxicillin orally 1 hour prior to third molar surgery. Venous blood (1.5 ml) and blood from the third molar socket (1.50 ml) were obtained. The amoxicillin plasma concentration was determined in both samples by high performance liquid chromatography with a diode-array detector (HPLC/DAD). Their associations with demographic variables (age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), sex) and antibiotic exposure time were analyzed using linear regression models. The mean amoxicillin plasma level detected in the venous blood was 1.21 ± 1.17 μg/ml (range 0.49-6.34 μg/ml) and in the third molar socket was 4.14 ± 2.24 μg/ml (range 0.86-7.46 μg/ml) (P <  0.001). No relationship was observed between the bioavailability of the drug and the patient biometric indices evaluated. The prophylactic administration of 2 g amoxicillin in third molar surgery showed greater bioavailability in the molar socket than the concentrations established as necessary to inhibit the growth of microorganisms that cause oral infections. The results show the need to review the current infection control protocols in oral surgery in light of the overestimated doses observed.

2019 AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats*

The 2019 AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats outline a comprehensive approach to support companion animal practices in improving the oral health and often, the quality of life of their canine and feline patients. The guidelines are an update of the 2013 AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. A photographically illustrated, 12-step protocol describes the essential steps in an oral health assessment, dental cleaning, and periodontal therapy. Recommendations are given for general anesthesia, pain management, facilities, and equipment necessary for safe and effective delivery of care. To promote the wellbeing of dogs and cats through decreasing the adverse effects and pain of periodontal disease, these guidelines emphasize the critical role of client education and effective, preventive oral healthcare.

The oral health status of residents with different cognitive and dental-related functions in three North Carolina assisted living facilities

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the study was to describe the oral health status of persons with different cognition and dental-related functions (DRFs).

METHODS

The present study was a secondary analysis of data collected for a cross-sectional study of residents in three assisted living facilities in North Carolina. The participants were aged 50 years or older, had normal to severely impaired cognition and spoke English. Upon obtaining informed consent, an oral assessment was completed by a trained geriatric dentist. A research team member who was blind to the oral examination outcomes then used the Minimum Data Set Cognition Scale to assess participants' cognition and the dental activities test to evaluate oral self-care and other DRFs. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the demographic, cognitive, functional and oral health status of the study participants. The impacts of cognitive and functional status on oral health measures were examined using simple linear regression models, negative binomial and zero-inflated negative binomial models.

RESULTS

A total of 91 long-term residents from three long-term care facilities participated in the study. Oral hygiene and gingival health were significantly associated with cognition (P = 0.056 and P = 0.017, respectively) and DRFs (P = 0.013 and P = 0.008, respectively). Residents with poor cognitive and dental-related function also presented with poor oral hygiene and gingival health.

CONCLUSION

The study results suggest that oral hygiene and gingival health were significantly associated with cognition and DRFs.