title: A five-year-old with a dental abscess: a case study.
abstract: Dental caries remain one of the most common disorders of childhood in the United States. Often nurse practitioners (NPs) will see children who are suffering from the complications of a dental carie, such as a dental abscess and/or cellulitis. This article describes the case of a 5-year-old girl who presented at an evening clinic with tooth pain, fever, and facial swelling. Three treatment choices are discussed: (1) 400 mg of amoxicillin (Augmentin), by mouth, with comfort measures, and return to the clinic in the morning; (2) 2 g of ceftriaxone by injection, with comfort measures, and return to the clinic in the morning; (3) or hospitalize via emergency department for intravenous fluids and antibiotics. The treatment that was chosen not only takes into account the disease process, but also the impact of this choice on the family. A model for the progression of dental caries in low-income groups with recommendations for prevention is also presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal-Child Health, Boston College School of Nursing, Chestnut Hill, MA 02167, USA.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Mahony
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinelli
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D018579:Patient Selection; D010508:Periodontal Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D011203:Poverty; D011322:Primary Prevention