Browsing by Subject "Odontogenic infections"

Objectives Odontogenic infections are potentially life threatening especially in immunocompromised patients. The study aimed to investigate predisposing factors for the severity of odontogenic infections, particularly hospital admission and inflammatory parameters. Materials and Methods A prospective clinical study and a questionnaire survey were designed and implemented. The outcome variable was hospitalization, and secondary outcome variables were inflammatory parameters C-reactive protein (CRP) value, white blood cell (WBC) count and body temperature. The primary predictor variables were treatment delay, preceding visits to health services before referral to hospital, focus of infection identified before referral, site of infection focus, postoperative infection because of elective tooth extraction, and previous treatment of infection. Explanatory variables were age, gender, current smoking, heavy alcohol use, disease history and education. Results A total of 88 patients were included to the analysis. Patients’ disease history in general was not significant for hospitalization or infection parameters. Lower education level associated with hospitalization (p=0.033) and leucocytosis was significantly higher in basic level educated patients (p=0.036). In addition, leucocytosis correlated significantly with mandibular infections (p=0.008), previously unidentified infection focus (p=0.010), and with infection due to an elective tooth extraction (p=0.026). Elderly patients were not more prone to more severe infections. Neither gender, current smoking nor heavy alcohol use proved significant for infection severity. Conclusions and clinical relevance Lower education elevates the risk for hospitalization and severe odontogenic infections. Lack of regular dental care or economic challenges can explain this finding.