Abstract
Our aim was to investigate delay in the treatment of patients with acute odontogenic
infections. A prospective clinical study and a questionnaire survey were designed
and implemented in the emergency maxillofacial surgical patients of Helsinki University
Hospital, Finland, over a one-year period. Altogether 88 adult patients with odontogenic
infections confirmed by hospital examination were included in the analysis. The outcome
variable was admission to hospital. Two-thirds of the patients had had previous visits
for health care for their current infection. Treatment was started in nearly half
the patients before hospital admission, and half of the treatment provided was exclusively
antibiotics. The focus of infection was detected in half the patients before admission.
Patients who were required further hospitalisation were younger than who were discharged
(p = 0.021). Less well-educated patients were more likely to be hospitalised than patients
in other education groups (p = 0.033). Leucocytosis was more prevalent in patients with a mandibular focus (p = 0.008), non-identified focus (p = 0.010), and infection as a result of elective tooth extraction (p = 0.026). The number of previous health care visits for the acute infection was notably
high. Early treatment of infection may be overlooked, particularly in younger age
groups and less well-educated patients. Challenges in making the correct diagnosis
and prescribing effective treatment for such infections cause additional health care
visits and unnecessary delay in care. More attention should be paid to the early detection
and comprehensive primary treatment of odontogenic infections.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 04, 2020
Accepted:
April 2,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
