[Examination for focal infections: sensible or superfluous?]

Detection of focal infections aims at the identification and subsequent treatment of sources of odontogenic inflammation in order to prevent health threats in patients who are often medically compromised. Examination for dental foci often precedes medical treatment of patients with increased risks of endocarditis, patients with a joint prosthesis, patients scheduled for chemotherapy or head and neck radiotherapy or candidates for organ transplantations. Although examination for possible sources of dental inflammation is performed on a routine basis in many hospitals, the scientific basis for this policy apparently is very limited, and there is an evident need for well-designed randomized clinical trials in this field.