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