TABLE 1.

Possible pathways of oral infections and nonoral diseases^a

Pathway for oral infection	Possible nonoral diseases
Metastatic infection from oral cavity via transient bacteremia	Subacute infective endocarditis, acute bacterial myocarditis, brain abscess, cavernous sinus thrombosis, sinusitis, lung abscess/infection, Ludwig's angina, orbital cellulitis, skin ulcer, osteomyelitis, prosthetic joint infection
Metastatic injury from circulation of oral microbial toxins	Cerebral infarction, acute myocardial infarction, abnormal pregnancy outcome, persistent pyrexia, idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia, toxic shock syndrome, systemic granulocytic cell defects, chronic meningitis
Metastatic inflammation caused by immunological injury from oral organisms	Behçet's syndrome, chronic urticaria, uveitis, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease

^aCompiled from references 109 and 115.