There was a patient in the gynecology ward. She had a gynecological condition, for which she was being treated on indoor basis. She also had intermittent fever, which was not due to any gynecological cause. Usual causes of fever had been ruled out.
"Look for septic foci" I said. :Make references to medical, ENT, and dental departments. It does not look like septicemia, but get her blood culture done, since the medical Registrar will ask for it anyway."
The next day we saw this woman again during our ward round.
"Sir, the medical and ENT Registrars have not found any septic foci in her" I was told. "The dental Registrar has noted the call but not seen her yet."
"But does she have any dental sepsis on gross?" I asked. "We can do the basic checking ourselves." I turned to the woman and asked her to open her mouth. She did so. I bent down and peeped inside. There were two smooth gum ridges but no teeth.
"Where are the teeth?" I asked.
"There are no teeth" she said calmly.
All faculty and Resident doctors burst out laughing.
"You could have saved the dental Registrar a visit to our ward by looking at her teeth. If she has no teeth, she cannot have dental caries and periodontal disease" I said. I knew she could have it, if she had a root broken inside the tooth sockets, but she would have had pain and swelling of the gums too.
"I knew she had not teeth. I wanted the dental Registrar to look for sepsis in the gums" the Registrar said lamely.
"Look for septic foci" I said. :Make references to medical, ENT, and dental departments. It does not look like septicemia, but get her blood culture done, since the medical Registrar will ask for it anyway."
The next day we saw this woman again during our ward round.
"Sir, the medical and ENT Registrars have not found any septic foci in her" I was told. "The dental Registrar has noted the call but not seen her yet."
"But does she have any dental sepsis on gross?" I asked. "We can do the basic checking ourselves." I turned to the woman and asked her to open her mouth. She did so. I bent down and peeped inside. There were two smooth gum ridges but no teeth.
"Where are the teeth?" I asked.
"There are no teeth" she said calmly.
All faculty and Resident doctors burst out laughing.
"You could have saved the dental Registrar a visit to our ward by looking at her teeth. If she has no teeth, she cannot have dental caries and periodontal disease" I said. I knew she could have it, if she had a root broken inside the tooth sockets, but she would have had pain and swelling of the gums too.
"I knew she had not teeth. I wanted the dental Registrar to look for sepsis in the gums" the Registrar said lamely.
