Many cases of cellulitis in the head and neck region among hospitalized pediatric patients are related to odontogenic infections. C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio (NLR), D-dimer, and prealbumin can be used to assess the severity of odontogenic inflammation. The aim of the study is to evaluate the biochemical parameters as a predictor factor of the severity of odontogenic cellulitis in children. This study was conducted from 2020 to 2021 on patients admitted to the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology and Pediatric Head and Neck Surgery of the Upper Silesian Children’s Health Center in Katowice. We included 40 patients aged 2–16 in the study, who were divided into two groups: research (SS-Study subject) (n = 20) and control (CS-Control subject) (n = 20). The patients underwent an interview and physical examination to assess the presence of intraoral and extraoral swelling and the presence of trismus. The patients who qualified for the study had blood taken to determine the level of CRP, WBCs, NLR, D-dimers, and prealbumin. Differences in biochemical test results in the SS and CS were statistically significant (p < 0.05). In the SS group, the mean values of biochemical parameters exceeded the clinical norm. A statistically significant positive relationship was found between CRP and extraoral swelling. The NLR correlates significantly with extraoral swelling and the length of hospitalization. D-dimer statistically correlated with trismus, extraoral swelling, and the number of anatomical spaces involved. The NLR and CRP ratio can be considered a prognostic marker of the course of infection and hospitalization time.

The most common cause of the development of odontogenic infection is untreated dental caries, which initially leads to pulpitis. If an odontogenic infection is left untreated, it will pass through the limiting bone plate and will infiltrate deeper structures. Odontogenic infections are different in adults and children. The study was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology and Pediatric Head and Neck Surgery of Upper Silesian Children’s Health Center in Katowice in the 2020–2022. We included 27 patients aged 2–16 in the study. Patients were diagnosed with an active, acute odontogenic inflammatory process in the head and neck area. We assessed pain, trismus, extraoral and intraoral swelling and the level of CRP [C Reactive Protein], WBC [White Blood Cells], NLR [Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio], D-dimers and Prealbumins. The results were analyzed in terms of the location of the source of inflammation: maxilla or mandible and the type of source of infection: deciduous tooth or permanent tooth. Deciduous teeth are more often the cause of odontogenic infection in the maxilla, while permanent teeth in the mandible. Trismus, extraoral, and intraoral swelling occurred in all infections caused by permanent teeth. The CRP and NLR ratio is statistically higher in infection, which originates from permanent teeth. The mean hospitalization time was also longer for infections from permanent teeth 3.42 days than for deciduous teeth 2.2 days. The varied clinical picture of odontogenic infections in children requires periodic analyzes of statistical data related to epidemiology, etiology, and symptomatology in order to update diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Background: Maxillofacial injuries quite often relate to children. The etiology of injuries occurring among children and adolescents differs in different age groups. In December 2019, the new SARSCoV-2 coronavirus was identified. Pandemic and the preventive actions had a significant impact on the epidemiology and etiology of injuries in children and adults. The aim of this analysis is assessing the impact of the SARSCoV-2 pandemic and the social restrictions on the frequency and type of maxillofacial injuries among children and adolescents treated at the Children’s Trauma Center in Katowice and the Upper-Silesian Child Health Center. Material and Methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of patients with craniofacial fractures is based on six periods of time: February-May 2019 [Spring 2019], February-May 2020 [Spring 2020], JuneSeptember 2019 [Summer 2019], June-September 2020 [Summer 2020], October-January 2019 [Autumn 2019], October-January 2020 [ Autumn 2020]. Results: Craniofacial injuries were the most common in the age group of 10-18 years (65.2%) in March-May 2019 while in March-May 2020 injuries were as well common in the both age group. Violence, sports and traffic accidents were the cause of injuries in 27.3% each in June-September 2019, but playing sport was the main cause of injury in June-September 2020 (42.9%). Differences in the overall number of patients with craniofacial trauma were observed in every period of time. Conclusion: There were differences in the number of patients reporting to the Upper Silesian Child Health Center. In the peak periods of COVID-19 in the spring and autumn, the number and variety of cases of injuries were significantly different from the previous norms.