| Compared to streptococcal infections, | | | | the Research Institute that severe tooth |
| spirochetes are represented in only a | | | | decay areas which exposed the pulp could |
| small percent of the total number of | | | | provide an entry way through the teeth |
| dental infections. Even less involved, | | | | into the body for the tuberculosis |
| but nevertheless significant to patients | | | | bacillus. |
| when they occur, are infections from | | | | By traveling through the root canal into |
| parasites. | | | | adjacent tissue, bacteria could be |
| Dr. Price reported a case in which a | | | | picked up by the lymphatic system and |
| woman patient had a huge abscess in her | | | | transported to the lymph grands of the |
| neck from a fistula of a lower infected | | | | neck, and from there to other body |
| molar tooth. Even after the tooth was | | | | areas. Enlarged cervical glands |
| extracted, the chronic abscess resisted | | | | persisting for periods off time seemed |
| treatment efforts for many weeks. A | | | | to miraculously disappear when infected |
| bacterial examination disclosed the | | | | teeth were removed from patients, |
| presence of a large number of amoeba. | | | | proving that bacteria do travel from the |
| Treatment for amoebic parasites promptly | | | | tooth to the neck. |
| stopped the infection. On the following | | | | Tuberculosis became a reasonably easy |
| page are pictures of this woman's | | | | disease to treat when antibiotics |
| condition: the fistula training under | | | | arrived. Now, however, TB is again |
| her chin, an x-ray picture showing her | | | | attacking more and more people - and |
| teeth and the infected tooth socket, | | | | customary treatments are no longer |
| plus a microscopic slide picture of the | | | | effective. The bacteria are mutating, |
| amoeba parasites causing her distress. | | | | changing their form and characteristics, |
| Amoeba were also found to nearly always | | | | much like what Price found to be |
| be present in pyorrhea gum pockets, and | | | | occurring with organisms in dentin |
| in at least one instance the parasite | | | | tubules. |
| had penetrated into the adjacent bone. | | | | Most people know that certain bacterial |
| It is hoped that learning of the | | | | infections can be transmitted to others, |
| presence of such organisms and the local | | | | such as scarlet fever, diphtheria, etc. |
| and systemic harm they can cause will | | | | Most also know that a person can be a |
| stimulate all readers to seek regular, | | | | carrier and transmit a disease without |
| competent prophylaxis care by a dentist | | | | himself being ill of the disease. Do you |
| or dental hygienist every three to six | | | | suppose that those who have badly |
| months. | | | | decayed teeth would be more apt to be |
| While the foremost difficulties | | | | carriers of bacterial infections? Don't |
| investigated by Price concerned | | | | you suppose that these people would also |
| infections in the root canal and other | | | | be more susceptible to becoming |
| tooth parts involving streptococcus | | | | seriously infected themselves? |
| organisms, in this chapter we have tried | | | | The most prevalent organisms which |
| to point out some other organisms that | | | | inhabit the mouth were discussed and it |
| can be responsible for systemic disease. | | | | was stated that of the 10 varieties of |
| Bacteria can also be involved via the | | | | streptococcus bacteria, the "fecalis" |
| mouth in a few other ways. At the time | | | | family was predominant in 65 1/2 percent |
| of the Dr. Price studies, tuberculosis | | | | of the cases tested. |
| was a rather common serious illness. Dr. | | | | Copyright (c) 2007 Sung Lee, and George |
| Price pointed out to his colleagues at | | | | Meinig D.D. |