Dental red flag Sepsis

🦷 Red Flag Sepsis Awareness for Dental Teams

While sepsis is rare in dental practice, it is a life-threatening emergency when it does occur. Early recognition and rapid action can save lives.

🦠 What is Sepsis?

Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to infection. Rather than fighting the infection locally, the immune system becomes overactive, triggering widespread inflammation, organ failure, and potentially death.

🪥 Sepsis in Dental Settings

In dental care, sepsis may follow infections such as:

• Dental abscesses
• Post-extraction infections
• Facial cellulitis spreading into deeper tissues

Patients at greater risk include those with:

• Diabetes
• Weakened immune systems
• Undergoing chemotherapy

Always think sepsis if a patient’s infection worsens or they appear generally unwell.

⚠️ Early Warning Signs

Be alert for subtle symptoms such as:

• Fever or low temperature
• Fast breathing or heart rate
• Confusion or drowsiness
• Cold, clammy, or mottled skin
• Lack of urine output

🚨 Red Flag Symptoms – Call 999 Immediately

Sepsis must be suspected and treated as an emergency if a patient with infection has any of the following:

• New confusion or reduced consciousness
• Breathing rate > 25 breaths/min
• Heart rate > 130 bpm
• Systolic BP < 90 mmHg
• Oxygen saturation ≤ 92% on air
• Mottled or non-blanching rash
• No urine for 18+ hours
• Recent chemotherapy or immunocompromised

👶 Red Flag Symptoms in Children

Sepsis can escalate rapidly in children. Watch for:

• Very high or very low temperatures
• Floppiness or irritability
• Rapid or laboured breathing
• Pale, mottled, or blue skin
• Non-blanching rash
• Poor feeding or dry nappies
• Seizures

🦷 Dental-Specific Red Flags

In the dental chair, warning signs include:

• Facial or neck swelling
• Trismus (difficulty opening mouth)
• Difficulty swallowing or drooling
• Trouble speaking or breathing
• Sudden deterioration in the patient’s condition

If you notice any of these symptoms, stop treatment and activate your Immediate Life Support (ILS) response without delay.