Myth of Endodontics in Oral Focal Infection

Abstract

On clinical evidence there has been a belief in the past amongst the medical and dental practitioners that the presence of bad teeth in the mouth can be a cause of some systemic diseases of unknown etiology. Examples of systemic conditions in the above category include rheumatoid arthritis, some diseases of the eye, few cardiac conditions and some diseases of the gastrointestinal region.1 It was felt that a circumscribed area infected with micro organisms due to dentoalveolar or periapical abscess which may or may not give rise to clinical manifestation can initiate another infection in a distant organ through the blood stream or the lymph channels. Based on this 'focal infection theory', all pulpless or non-vital teeth were extracted hoping that the diseasae and symptoms will abate. But it was observed that the systemic disease continued in many cases after removal of the infected teeth.2 Aim of this article is to emphasize the current concepts which advocate the belief that with increasing knowledge, the number of conditions considered to be due to focal infection is decreasing and also disclose the myth in relation between endodontic treatment and oral focal infection.