Dentist Fails to Prescribe Antibiotics Which Leads to Dental Abscess

Case Overview

The patient began complaining of gum swelling, tenderness and pain on chewing. She presented to her dentist who diagnosed her with periodontitis following examination of the oral cavity. The patient underwent a deep cleaning at the treating dentist’s office. The procedure lasted almost two hours and involved removing plaque material from the affected teeth. The patient suffered a significant amount of bleeding during the cleaning. Once the bleeding had stopped the patient was discharged home. The treating dentist did not prescribe any prophylactic antibiotics after the procedure was completed.

Approximately two weeks after the procedure the patient developed stroke like symptoms including slurred speech and unilateral face droop. The patient was taken the emergency room by her husband. A neurosurgeon was consulted on the case and investigations revealed that the patient had contracted a staph viridans infection. The infection had caused a dental abscess to form which was the source of the patient’s neurological symptoms. The patient required a long hospitalization, surgery to drain the abscess and intravenous antibiotic therapy.