Validity of Focal Infection Theory

The most successful determining medicaments and germicidal
rinses-those which prevented bacteremias to the highest
degree - were summarized and reported by I.B. Bander,D.D.S.
and Steve Montgomery,D.D.S., in the Journal of Endodontics.
The very best results of numerous research studies were
obtained with topical application into the gum crevice of
an iodine-glycerine medicament. No bacteria whatever were
found in the blood when it was applied and left to set and
act for five minutes before proceeding with planned dental
treatment.

Good results were also achieved using 0.5 percent hexa-
dine with 10 percent providone-iodine solution. If your
dentist is not familiar with this study, which involves 51
references, he or she can obtain a copy of the article from
the American Dental Association Library service.

The acceptance and understanding of how easy it is for
bacteremias to occur is, in fact, understanding the focal
infection theory in action. This should help everyone to
better visualize how bacteria present in the dentin tubules
of infected teeth can eventually create such severe
illnesses.

In view of the current concern regarding the production of
endocarditis and/or knee-hip infections from oral dental
sources, a more complete consideration must be given by the
medical/dental profession and public to other ways focal
infections can be induced. A variety of research projects
designed to give humans a better chance in their war
against focal infection microorganisms must be undertaken.

Suppression of the Dr. Weston Price accomplishments was
unfortunate for the development of medicine and detrimental
to the health of our people. Mainly responsible was a
dispute which took place among health professional as to
the validity of the focal infection theory.

Simply stated, the focal infection theory takes the
position that infected teeth, tonsils, tonsil tags, sinuses
and such areas of infection contain bacteria which can
travel to another gland, organ or tissue and set up a new
infection site. Dr. Weston Price was not the only doctor
carrying out research on this subject.

Among the 60 members of the American Dental Association's
research institute governing body were such famous doctors
as Charles Mayo, organizer of the Mayo Clinic; Milton
Rosenau, professor of preventive medicine at Johns Hopkins;
William Welch, professor of pathology; As in so many
disputes about medical discoveries, even though the
majority of leading doctors believed in the focal infection
theory, these leading scientists were overridden and
silenced.

The fight against the focal infection theory was mainly
carried out by doctors Percy Howe and John Buckley. Howe
based his opposition on a study he conducted injecting
rabbits with the normal placid streptococcus bacteria
secured from the mouth, not bacteria from an infection site
or a root filled tooth. In his investigation, none of the
animals became sick or died. Buckley was unable to see how
infected teeth which showed excellent evidence of bone
repair after root canal therapy could possibly still be
infected. Then too, because some who root filled teeth
removed did not recover, he questioned the validity of the
conclusion that a percentage of patients did get well due
to the removal of a tooth or teeth.

The arguments of these two men were weak and they failed to
consider or believe. The poor nutrition and inherited
generic problems are also causes of degenerative diseases.
That oral bacteria do not act in the same manner as do the
germs that cause measles, smallpox, mumps, scarlet fever,
etc. That when teeth become infected, oral bacteria find
the dentin tubules an ideal cave-like hiding place, and
these germs and their toxins - like the viruses that cause
cancer - metastasize and escape to infect hearts, joints,
kidneys, lungs, the stomach, eye, and countless other
tissues.

That what makes these bacteria so dangerous is their
ability to become polymorphic; that is, to mutate, adapt,
change, become smaller, anaerobic, more virulent and more
toxic. That pregnant women or others experiencing a higher
than normal degree of stress become particularly
susceptible to diseases arising from oral infection
sources. By the mid-thirties, most physicians and dentists
believed the focal infection theory to be correct and valid.

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Dr. George Meinig, D.D.S., F.A.C.D. is a Founder of the
Association of Root Canal Specialists Discovers Evidence
That Root Canals Damage Your Health Learn What to Do. Learn
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Edited and prepared by Sung Lee, alternate author