Association between bacteria detected in blood and the oral environment in patients with infective endocarditis

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare disease with a high mortality rate. Although IE is often associated with dental treatment, poor oral hygiene has also been reported to contribute to development, even in the absence of dental procedures. Therefore, oral surgeons may play an important role in the prevention of IE through oral hygiene management and therapeutic interventions. Few studies have examined the relationship between the causative bacteria in patients with IE and their oral environment. We therefore retrospectively investigated the bacteria detected by blood culture and the oral environment of patients treated for IE.

The study sample comprised 48 patients who underwent IE treatment from October 2018 to April 2024. We evaluated the correlation between the number of teeth indicated for extraction, as determined by panoramic radiography and intraoral examination, and the bacteria detected in blood culture tests performed during IE treatment.

The final study cohort comprised 31 patients. Among the bacteria detected by blood culture, seven were classified as intraoral and five as extraoral. The number of teeth indicated for extraction was significantly higher in patients with IE caused by intraoral bacteria than in those with IE caused by extraoral bacteria.

Careful dental monitoring is essential to prevent deterioration of oral hygiene. When dental treatment is deemed necessary, early intervention before caries progresses is critically important.