Infectious Endocarditis Is Associated with Dental Treatment or Poor Dental Status—Results from the Brandenburg Endocarditis Registry (B.E.R.)

<b>Background:</b> While the relationship between recent dental treatment and the development of endocarditis is largely undisputed, the relationship between poor dental status and the development of infective endocarditis has not yet been proven beyond doubt. We have therefore analyzed this hypothetical connection using our established endocarditis register (B.E.R.). <b>Patients and Methods:</b> A total of 72 patients who underwent dental treatment (TREAT) and 55 patients with a desolate dental status (DESOLATE) were found in our database of 530 patients subsequently developing infective endocarditis necessitating valve surgery. A propensity score analysis was performed comparing TREAT as well as DESOLATE with matched patients without these conditions as CONTROL. <b>Results:</b> TREAT showed significantly more often Strept. mitis (26.9%) as well as other Streptococci (36.54%, <i>p</i> = 0.001) compared to CONTROL (3.51% and 10.53%, respectively), whereas Staphylococci and E. faecalis were found more often in CONTROL than in TREAT (<i>S. aureus</i>: 22.81% vs. 15.38%, n.s.; other Staphylococci 14.04% vs. 1.92%, <i>p</i> = 0.033; E. faec.: 26.32% vs. 9.62%, <i>p</i> = 0.045). DESOLATE showed significantly more Strept. mitis compared to CONTROL (27.91% vs. 4.88%, <i>p</i> = 0.007). Early mortality was 23.7% in the TREAT group, while it was 15.25% in the CONTROL group and 17.02% in the DESOLATE group vs. 20.83% in the CONTROL patients. <b>Conclusions:</b> The current results suggest that adequate endocarditis prophylaxis to prevent bacteremia may not be carried out in patients undergoing dental treatment and may occur spontaneously in patients with poor dental care. Both situations require new strategies to avoid such severe consequences.