Infective endocarditis of dental origin: a case report

ABSTRACT

Infective endocarditis remains an important, life-threatening infection despite improvements in diagnosis and management. Despite the decrease in rheumatic heart disease and the improvements in antibiotic prophylaxis, infective endocarditis has been reported with increasing frequency in the last few decades. Presumably, this is due to the rise in the incidence of intravenous drug users, carriers of prosthetic valves and other intracardiac devices, and the longer survival of patients with congenital heart disease. Despite the great advances in medical and surgical treatment, infective endocarditis is still a life-threatening disease with an estimated mortality of 27%. Infective endocarditis represents one of the few potentially fatal infections that may occur in a dental patient. Efforts to reduce the incidence of this disease usually take the form of appropriate antibiotic coverage before dental treatment, together with the establishment and maintenance of good oral health. This study is a case report of a patient who developed infective endocarditis after multiple tooth extractions due to chronic periodontitis of dental origin.