Eur J Public Health. 2025 Oct 29:ckaf175. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaf175. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Dental and periodontal infections can lead to serious systemic complications through bacterial dissemination. While global awareness of these risks is increasing, data on the incidence and outcomes of such complications remain limited. This study aims to quantify the incidence of serious extraoral infectious complications associated with dental infectious foci, using dental procedures as markers of active oral infection, in the Czech Republic between 2010 and 2022. A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the National Register of Reimbursed Health Services. Patients who underwent invasive dental procedures indicating active dental/periodontal infection and were hospitalized for severe infectious conditions within 7 days were identified. This temporal criterion captured both cases where dental procedures preceded systemic spread and cases where dental foci were identified during workup for serious infections. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analysed incidence rates and temporal trends. Among 15 098 093 dental procedures over 13 years, annual hospitalizations for associated infectious complications ranged from 855 to 1252 cases. Overall incidence was 12.82 per 100 000 population annually. Oral region complications (cellulitis, abscesses, osteomyelitis) were most common (9.48 per 100 000), followed by systemic complications (sepsis and endocarditis) (2.89 per 100 000). Significant increasing trends were observed for jaw periostitis (P = .006), endocarditis (P < .001), and central nervous system abscesses (P = .027), while acute sinusitis declined (P < .001). This population-based analysis reveals a substantial incidence of serious infectious complications associated with dental infectious foci, with concerning increasing trends in potentially life-threatening conditions. These findings emphasize the importance of preventive dental care and early intervention strategies.
PMID:41159935 | DOI:10.1093/eurpub/ckaf175
