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Could it be sepsis? New paper to raise awareness among dental professionals

4 mins read Antibiotic resistance Systemic diseases
New work led by the University of Plymouth and the UK Sepsis Trust has highlighted the vital need for dental professionals to know about sepsis – and, importantly, the need to communicate the signs to patients.

Every year in the UK 52,000 people die from sepsis – with 14,000 of these estimated to be preventable.

Now the new paper has highlighted what dental professionals need to know about sepsis.

Led by Dr Cathy Coelho from the University of Plymouth and Melissa Mead MBE from the UK Sepsis Trust, the paper in the British Dental Journal details Melissa’s first-hand experience losing her one-year-old son William to sepsis in 2014, following several missed opportunities to spot the condition.

See a YouTube video of Melissa and Dr Coelho discussing the paper.

Sepsis is a complication that can arise from any infection and signs range from decreased body temperature to a change in mental ability. If caught quickly, it’s easily treatable with fluids and antibiotics. If not, it can be fatal.

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