Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner lining of the heart, usually as a cause of a heart valve defect.
Endocarditis can also be caused by purulent teeth. Patients with prosthetic heart valves, congenital heart defects with cyanosis and after bacterial endocarditis are given an antibiotic as a preventive measure during bloody dental treatment (scaling, tooth extraction). Endocarditis prophylaxis is a screening of an endocarditis patient (endocarditis) with antibiotics before a procedure.
For further details see below the various forms of bacterial endocarditis.