Title: Brain abscess following professional dental cleaning: A case report
Abstract:
Brain abscess is a localized infection within the brain, which can be life-threatening. Disorders arising from the oral cavity and dental treatment are among the various causes of brain abscess. We present a case report of an immunocompetent patient who developed a cerebral abscess in the right frontoparietal region after undergoing professional dental cleaning three weeks prior. The patient received neurosurgical intervention with abscess microbiology culture examination showing Streptococcus anginosus group. After admission to the intensive care unit post-operatively, the patient completed an 8-week course of intravenous antibiotics and is now undergoing rehabilitation with improvement in his neurological function. Although rare, this case report highlights that brain abscesses may be caused by transient bacteremia as a result from professional dental cleaning in patients who are immunocompetent.
Audience Take Away:
- The audience should be aware that professional dental cleaning may be considered a cause of brain abscesses even in immunocompetent and healthy patients.
- To consider examining the oral cavity in patients with intracranial infections to eliminate the possible infectious foci.
- Prevention is better than cure, focus needs to be placed on maintaining a high level of oral hygiene.
