Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to compare characteristics o
f patients hospitalized with odontogenic infections during the 1980s to tho
se of the 1990s.
Patients and Methods: This study was a retrospective record review that com
pared 2 cohorts of patients admitted to the same institution during two 81-
month periods, one decade apart. Admission criteria were face or neck swell
ing suggesting abscess or cellulitis and one or more of the following: temp
erature above 38 degreesC, white blood cell (WBC) count greater than 10.8 x
10(3)/muL, or concern about airway compromise. Characteristics reviewed we
re age, gender, race, admission temperature, admission WBC count, fascial s
pace(s) involved, tooth of etiology, duration of hospitalization, and bacte
ria isolated. Data were compared for statistical significance (P < .05).
Results: No significant differences were found between the 2 cohorts for ag
e, gender, race, admission temperature, admission WBC count, space involvem
ent, or length of stay (P < .05). One tooth (mandibular left first molar) o
f 52 was involved more frequently in the 1990 group (P < .03), Gram-positiv
e cocci were isolated significantly more frequently from the 1990s patients
than from the 1980s patients (P < .03). There were also significant differ
ences(P < .02) between cohorts in the isolation frequency of individual gen
era, such as alpha-hemolytic Streptococci, coagulase negative staphylococci
, Stapylococcus epidermidis, Bacteroides melanogenicus, beta-lactamase posi
tive Bacteroides, Eikenella corrodens, and Neisseria species. Eighty-one pe
rcent of the bacteria cultured from the 1990s patients were resistant to on
e or more common antibiotics; 47% of these organisms were Staphylococcus au
reus.
Conclusion: No clinically significant differences existed in the characteri
stics of patients hospitalized with odontogenic infections between the 1980
s and the 1990s. Although there were differences in the type and prevalence
of bacteria isolated, this was probably a result of changes in nomenclatur
e, identification protocols, and isolation techniques. (C) 2001 American As
sociation of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.