Professional paper

Diseased Teeth as a Focus - A Delusion or Reality?

Tomislav Šušković ; Klinička bolnica “Sestre milosrdnice” Klinka za unutarnje bolesti Vinogradska 29, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Željko Vučičević ; Klinička bolnica “Sestre milosrdnice” Klinka za unutarnje bolesti Vinogradska 29, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Dina Vukičević-Baudoin ; Klinička bolnica “Sestre milosrdnice” Klinka za unutarnje bolesti Vinogradska 29, Zagreb, Hrvatska

Abstract

There is a decrease of interest in dental practice to relate dental infective foci to general condition disturbances and/or rheumatic difficulties. For that reason, we report on two patients, in whom careful medical treatment was followed by streptococcal land staphylococcal dental affection responsible for their rheumatic difficulties. The information is presented that 10% of all rheumatics have reactive arthritis which may be related to latent of manifest infective foci in the body, including diseased teeth. Some new concepts indicate that arthralgias and/or arthritis arise from immune response in predisposed patients only, the presence of HLA-B27 antigen being of considerable importance. It has been demonstrated that staphylococcal and group A and G streptococcal infection can increase the titer of antistaphylolysin (ASTA) and antistreptolysin (ASO) antibodies, respectively. It all other foci are excluded, such immune response indicates the possible presence of tooth root abscess. In this case, proper dental treatment may have a positive effect.

Keywords

teeth as a focus; reactive arthritis; antistaphyloly sin and antistreptolysin antibodies

Hrčak ID:

99188

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/99188

Publication date:

15.9.1995.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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