(Editor’s Note: Sadly, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened, but we are glad the children haven’t lost their lives like sweet Daisy Lynn and Marvelena Rady.)
Just a week ago, 30 children who had recent pulpotomies (a root canal for a child) were sent to Southern California hospitals due to infections from the water used during their procedures (investigators believe that the bacteria grew in low-level stagnant water that wasn’t flushed). It is still unknown what long-term effects the infections may cause.
Bacteria in Dentist’s Water in Anahiem
The cases were all traced to the Children’s Dental Group in Anaheim, and the patients- aged 3 to 9 years- visited the clinic between March and July. Because several hundred people had pulpotomies, officials anticipate there will be more infections over the next several weeks or months. The infection, Mycobacterium abscessus, is slow-growing and can take weeks or months to show symptoms. However, once symptoms do show up they range from swelling, redness and pain around the infected tooth can occur, and even infection in the gum and jawbone. In those cases, stopping the infection may mean removing part of the jaw.
Now, M abscessus isn’t a particularly strong bug and most people just flush it away during their daily life. But, if contaminated water is used in a dentist’s office if that water and then a tooth is capped, the bacteria is trapped inside.
From the article:
“The Dental Board of California is investigating whether proper procedures were followed at the Children’s Dental Group office in Anaheim. The company operates other offices throughout California, but none of those has been linked to the outbreak.
The state of California mandates that water lines be “purged with air or flushed with water for at least two minutes” each day, according to documents provided by the Dental Board.”
The clinic, which is still open, is cooperating with a joint investigation between the state and county and for now, the water lines at the clinic are not in use. The company plans to replace the lines and begin ongoing monitoring of its water purity (I should think so).
Children’s Dental Group CEO Sam Gruenbaum released a statement saying he “regrets even one patient has developed this condition”- 842 children have received pulpotomies since March.
We hope the children are all ok going forward. While this event isn’t common, it can have real consequences and offices need to make sure they are following correct procedures to best keep their patients safe.
Source: CNN
