Bacteriology & Antibiotics

Bacterial Oral/ Mouth Infections

The oral cavity contains some of the most varied and vast flora in the entire human body and is the main entrance for two systems vital to human function and physiology, the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems. Oral cavity may create foci of infection that can affect many other vital systems, such as the cardiovascular and renal systems. Foci of infection in the oral cavity arising from chronic periodontitis or chronic periapical abscesses (ie, inflammation and abscess of the tissue attached to the apex of the root) may lead to subacute bacterial endocarditis (BE) and glomerulonephritis (GN). Oral microorganisms can include fungal, protozoal, and viral species. Periodontitis is a common chronic bacterial infection of the supporting structures of the teeth. The relative risk of cardiovascular disease is doubled in persons with periodontal disease. A bacterial infection can lead to sores and swelling in the mouth. Infections may be caused by an overgrowth of organisms normally present in the mouth or by newly introduced organisms, such as the bacteria that cause syphilis or gonorrhea. Bacterial infections from teeth or gums can spread to form a pus-filled pocket of infection (abscess) or cause widespread inflammation.