Dental clinic ordered to stop using water after infections

Nine were considered “probable” cases of infection and were admitted to Children’s Hospital of Orange County, according to Jessica Good, a spokeswoman for the agency. They’re now contacting 500 other children who had pulpotomies at the clinic since May.

Children’s Dental Group of Anaheim was ordered to cease use of the facility’s on-site water system Thursday after lab tests confirmed it contained bacteria similar to the one that caused at least one child to be hospitalized.

The affected children all underwent pulpotimies, wherein infected pulp is removed to prevent tooth loss, at Children’s Dental Group beginning May 3.

The infection is treatable but often requires multiple intravenous antibiotics given for a long time.

“You take your child to the dentist thinking everything’s going to go well, you’re going to go in and come out, but it didn’t happen like that”, his cousin told CBS News. Meanwhile, kid’s with the infection remain under observation by California doctors.

A pulpotomy, sometimes called a baby tooth root canal, is usually done to treat a cavity in a baby molar.

His family said they’re fortunate that the boy’s teacher noticed that his face was swollen.

Handler has warned that the infection is very unsafe. “As to why, we’re still investigating that”, said Dr. Eric Handler, Orange County’s health officer.

The primary concern about the disease is that symptoms can take up to six months to appear, which is why Gibran went to the dentist in May and is showing signs now. The CEO of Children’s Dental Group, which halted pulpotomies on September 6, says “we follow industry standard sterilization and preventative practices … and are doing everything we can to resolve this”.

At least seven children have contracted a risky bacterial infection after a procedure at an Anaheim dental clinic-and 500 others could potentially have it, health officials say.

Amador’s daughter, Nairi, went to the clinic for a routine exam in June when she was given a pulpotomy. The infection can take 15 to 85 days after the procedure to develop.