title: Endodontic cellulitis 'flare-up'. Case report.
abstract: Endodontic cellulitis involves facial swelling which can vary from mild to severe and can occur as a primary case or a flare-up following initial treatment of asymptomatic teeth with periapical lesions. The microbial spectrum in primary cases involves a significant mixture of anaerobic and facultative aerobic microbes, chiefly streptococci. In a previous study, cultures from flare-up cases, utilizing the same anaerobic techniques as in primary cases, revealed an absence of obligate anaerobes and an 80 per cent incidence of facultative aerobic streptococci. These cases also revealed a significant time lapse from onset of symptoms to the cellulitis phase. No sex or age factors were noted in the primary or flare-up cases. The purpose of this case report is to restate a traditional theory, namely, the alteration of the oxidation/reduction potential (Eh), as a major factor for endodontic cellulitis flare-ups; to confirm the pathogenic potential of oral facultative streptococci; and that asymptomatic endodontic lesions tend to exist with mixed aerobic/anaerobic microbial flora.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, H.M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry, Boston University, USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Matusow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D003788:Dental Pulp Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D003790:Dental Pulp Necrosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010482:Periapical Abscess / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D012390:Root Canal Therapy; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000378:metabolism