Current trends in the prevention of bacterial endocarditis in susceptible patients receiving dental care

The clinical features and sequelae of bacterial endocarditis have been enumerated, and it has been pointed out that the eradication of all foci of infection in the oral cavity is vitally important in patients with congenital or acquired valvular lesions. Procedures to this end should be performed with the help of an antibiotic cover in order to curtail a bacteremia or to eradicate microorganisms if intravascular invasion occurs. The use of newer antibiotics has been discussed, and treatment schedules have been suggested for the four different groups of patients that the dentist may encounter. The proper timing of treatment while the patient is receiving antibiotics has been stressed, and the general practitioner is urged to refer patients with cardiac prostheses to a hospital for dental treatment.