Dental Care for People With Heart Disease

Individuals with coronary disease have specific needs in regards to dental hygiene.  Here are some recommendations to take into account in case you suffer from one of these heart problems before visiting the dentist.

Speak with your cardiologist about undergoing some dental treatments if he or she recommends waiting.  And inform your physician if you are taking anticoagulants (blood-thinning drugs).  These medications could cause excessive bleeding during certain oral surgery procedures.  If nitroglycerin and oxygen are available to ask your physician.

Some high blood pressure drugs can cause dry skin or change your sense of taste.  Calcium channel blockers, in particular, can cause the gum tissue to swell and overgrow, leading to difficulties.  If you do experience gum disease, your dentist near me may give you oral hygiene instructions and may ask you to create more frequent visits.  Chewing gum surgery to remove excess gum tissue, referred to as a gingivectomy, may be required.

In case your dental procedure demands the use of anesthesia, ask your physician when the anesthesia contains epinephrine. Epinephrine is a common additive in anesthetic solutions.  The use of epinephrine in certain patients with high blood pressure may lead to cardiovascular modifications, including the growth of substantial blood pressure, angina, heart attack, and arrhythmias, and should be used with caution.

Patients with angina treated with calcium channel blockers may have gum overgrowth.  Gum surgery may be required.

Like individuals with an earlier heart attack, patients with angina may want to ask their dentist near me if oxygen and nitroglycerin can be found in the event a medical emergency should arise.

While patients with stable angina (chest pain which occurs in a predictable routine ) can undergo any dental operation, patients with unstable angina (new chest pain or irregular chest pain) shouldn't undergo elective (nonessential) dental procedures, and emergency dental care ought to be done at a hospital or workplace armed with cardiac monitoring capacity.

When you've experienced a stroke in the past, tell your dentist near me if you are taking anticoagulants (blood-thinning medications ).  These medications could cause excessive bleeding during some dental surgery procedures.

If a stroke has diminished your ability to make an adequate quantity of saliva, your dentist may recommend using artificial saliva.  If your stroke has affected your face, tongue, or dominant arm and hand, your dentist may also recommend the use of aspirin gels adding rinsing and approaches others can use to aid you in maintaining good oral hygiene.

Some drugs used in the treatment of heart failure (for example, diuretics, or water pills) may also cause dry mouth.  Consult your physician about dry mouth treatments, including the utilization of saliva.

Factors to Remember About Dental Care and Heart Disease

Give your physician an entire list of the names and doses of all of the medications you are taking for your heart condition (and any other prescription or nonprescription drugs you might be carrying ).  This will aid your dentist to decide on the best treatment path for you, including the appropriate drugs to utilize for procedures.

Give your physician that the name and telephone number of your doctor(s) in case your dentist should talk to him or her about your care.

If you're especially worried about undergoing a dental procedure because of your heart condition, talk to your dentist and heart doctor.  Your doctors can supply information to you and work on plans for easing your fears and controlling pain.

Is There a Link Between Periodontal Disease and Cardiovascular Disease?

Various investigators and government agencies continue to look into the possible relationship between gum (periodontal) disease and heart disease.  Some researchers speculate that bacteria move into the bloodstream and cause inflammation in the arteries -- changes that in turn contribute to cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Numerous studies are being conducted which both support and refute the potential connection between both of these diseases.  1 study, published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, found that people who had fewer than 25 teeth at the start of the 12-year trial (teeth reduction is the ultimate result of untreated gum disease) had a 57% higher chance of stroke compared to patients who had 25 or more teeth.

Another study involving over 4,000 individuals and 17 decades of follow-up showed no evidence of a decreased risk of coronary heart disease in case chronic gum disease has been eliminated.  Based on these outcomes, these researchers speculate that the relationship between gum disease and an increase in risk is coincidental and that gum disease doesn't lead to coronary heart disease.

The true function, if there's one, between gum disease and cardiovascular disease remains to be ascertained.

Location: Sabkadentist