BACTEREMIA AND INTRAORAL SUTURE REMOVAL - CAN AN ANTIMICROBIAL RINSE HELP

Recent studies have shown that bacteremia can result from the removal of intraoral sutures. The authors found that preprocedural use of an a ntimicrobial oral rinse (0.12 percent chlorhexidine) did not significa ntly reduce the incidence of bacteremia when compared with no rinse at all. Similarly, a significant relationship between bleeding and bacte remia was not apparent. Most of the positive cultures yielded low colo ny counts. The results support the rationale for the American Heart As sociation's 1997 recommendations for use of antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent bacteremia, as well as the importance of good oral hygiene in prevention efforts.