Origin of Microorganisms in Traumatized, Pulpless, Sound Teeth

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Abstract
It has been assumed that the pulps of vital, intact teeth are sterile. Because microorganisms have been isolated from pulps or root canals of accidentally traumatized teeth, and because the source of these microorganisms has not been elucidated, this project was designed to determine whether the origin of microorganisms is the gingival sulcus. A suspension of a test organism, Serratia marcescens, was swabbed into the gingival sulcus. Preliminary tests showed that this organism is not a normal inhabitant of the tooth surface, gingiva or saliva of the dogs or monkeys used in the study. The experimental tooth was traumatized by a 25 g weight dropped through a tube from a height of 1.5 meters. Under aseptic conditions an effort was made to recover the microorganisms from the pulp tissue or root canal immediately after the trauma and at varying periods of time afterward. The test organism was recovered in approximately one-third of the traumatized teeth.

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