The association between periodontal disease and peritonsillar infection: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE To study the relationship between periodontal status and peritonsillar disease/recurrent tonsillitis. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING A total of 158 patients presenting over a 3-year period with peritonsillar abscess (PTA) confirmed by needle aspiration and a control group of 112 patients booked for elective tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis (RT) were examined in terms of their periodontal status using the WHO Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN). RESULTS The mean CPITN index was 2.81 (Standard Deviation [SD], 1.10) in patients with PTA and 1.41 (SD, 0.92) in patients with RT. One hundred seven of 158 patients with PTA had significant periodontal pathology (CPITN, 3 or 4) compared with 12 of 112 patients with RT. These differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSION Patients with peritonsillar abscess had an increased prevalence of periodontal disease as compared with patients with recurrent tonsillitis. SIGNIFICANCE There is a need to further explore this correlation and determine its nature, although it could be the result of common pathogenic factors, a causal relation cannot be excluded.