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