Endocarditis

I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but going to the dentist to get your teeth cleaned can make you really sick.           

Endocartitis is an inflammation of the lining of the heart’s chambers and valves- the endocardium.  It usually occurs when bacteria in the blood stream settle in that lining.  Most of these bacteria live in our body or on our skin and actually are beneficial when they stay where they belong.  They’re not usually harmful unless they travel in the blood stream and find a rough or damaged area of the heart where they can take hold and colonize.

The bacteria can enter the bloodstream during invasive medical procedures, such as a colonoscopy, or dental procedures, such as tooth cleaning where gums are infected due to inadequate personal hygiene (i.e. brushing and flossing).

Endocarditis can also be caused by a fungus.  Typically, this occurs in people who have a weakened immune system because of disease or intake of imuno-suppressive drugs, such as those used to treat cancer or rheumatoid arthritis.

If one has a strong immune system and a healthy heart, one’s body’s natural defenses can usually prevent this inflammation. On the other hand, an individual with an artificial or damaged heart valve (history of rheumatic fever), or someone who’s had a heart infection in the past, that person is at high risk for endocarditis.  Advanced age, diabetes, gum disease, long-term kidney dialysis, and drug abuse also raise a person’s risk of endocarditis.

Older people are more prone to endocartitis because, over the years, the heart’s inner lining suffers damage through normal wear and tear.  As damaged tissues heal, small scars form.  These scars provide a breeding ground for microbes and hide them from the body’s defenses.  In addition, older people often undergo invasive surgical or diagnostic procedures, which give microbes access to the bloodstream. 

To protect the heart of a patient with a compromised immune system of predetermined susceptibility to cardiac-lining infection,  in anticipation of a teeth cleaning, antibiotics are prescribed to avoid a problem.

Regular medical check-ups warn of possible susceptibility.

See your doctor.