Pattern of management of oro-facial infection in children : a retrospective

Abstract EN

Background : The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution and management of orofacial infection in children treated at one of the major hospitals in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia over a 12-month period during the year 2014.

Methods: Data from the clinical records of 94 children (33 girls, 61 boys; aged 2–14 years) who presented for treatment of orofacial infection at the emergency dental department of the military hospital in Jeddah during a 12-month period.

Patients were treated with antibiotic therapy.

A favorable outcome was determined based on length of hospital stay.

Results: The results indicated that the most common cause of odontogenic infection in Saudi children was dental caries (88 %).

The primary posterior teeth (84 %) were considered to be a major source of infection.

The most commonly affected teeth were the primary first molars (34%), followed by the primary second molars 31 %).

Six children were hospitalized; four of these stayed less than 4 days, which was considered a short hospital stay.

The most common treatment was antibiotics as 93% received a type of antibiotic.