The focus is asymptomatic in most cases, doesn’t hurt, and even doesn’t sensitive. The inflammation itself develops slowly and the process lasts long, we don’t realize that there is some abnormality in a given place.
The bacteria accumulate in the focus which enter to the blood flow and adhere on the decreased resistant areas of organ, and make sick them. Many researches have demonstrated that the presence of bacteria is not criteria; it is enough for the development of disease, if the toxic products of disease reach the “weaker” tissues.
In what kind of symptoms may exist the focus disease?
- unexplained joint pain
- skin rash
- unknown diseases of various organs, organ systems
- patchy hair loss
Most common focus:
- teeth
- middle ear
- sinuses of nose
- tonsils
- gallbladder
- prostate/ovarian
- caecum chronic inflammation
The rate of tooth originated focus is the highest in the body. Each tooth can appear as a focus in which deep caries can be found or chronic inflammation of the dental pulp exists. The formed disorders around the root, the remained broken roots in the tooth roots, broken teeth can be also focus. The cause of focus disease can be also remained tooth in periodontal which due to various reasons (e.g. not enough space, not vertically situated on the jaw) it isn’t be able to break. Chronic gingivitis, periodontal disease can be focus as well. We called these periodontal focuses. In the case of periodontal disease deep pockets are forming around the teeth which are extremely difficult to keep clean. The proliferated bacteria in the bottom of pockets can cause diseases of distant organs when entering the bloodstream.
Important to know that not all dental disorder – above mentioned – behaves as focus! We considered these disease processes as focus only if they cause such unknown origin diseases in other areas of body which can be considered as focus disease.
On the ground of dental focus forming organic diseases- focus diseases:
- joint inflammation
- various allergic processes
- childhood asthma
- eczema
- certain cardiovascular diseases
- conjunctivitis
- chronic nephritis
Diagnosis and treatment of dental focus:
Related to any diseases the suspicion of presence of dental focus rises, then a thorough examination of mouth is indicated. First we check the vitality of the tooth (is the root live or not), and then screen the crown part of the tooth; visit, probe the gum, check with a special probe whether there are pockets between the teeth and gum. The physical examination followed by digital X-ray, because many disorder can be detected only on X-ray film. For example: root apex disorders, remaining teeth in the breakthrough (impacted wisdom teeth), others.
Treatment of dental focus:
Accordance with the possibilities we use such method which aims at the retention of teeth, not the removal of them. For this purpose we make root canal treatment. We make root filling which is properly closing, and reaching peak, or we make surgical root apex removal. In many cases happens that in spite of the conservative treatments the focus can’t be eliminated. In this case the whole tooth removal is recommended.
The regular dental check, and with timely and appropriate method treated teeth can minimize the chance of development of dental focus!
