Men and women all over Pasadena visit Lytle, Tate & Stamper every year for dental surgery, whether they want to have dental implants placed or have their wisdom teeth removed. But what some of these men and women may not know is that they will require antibiotics before having their dental surgery. If you’ve been visiting your general dentists bi-annually as you should, you probably remember filling out some paperwork asking about your medical history and known medical conditions. They weren’t being nosy with all those questions but were actually doing what they needed to in order to know if they should provide you with antibiotics before your cleaning or cavity filling. Unfortunately, our doctors find that many of their dental surgery patients are unaware of why this preventative measure is needed and if they themselves should be having medication before their surgery. Luckily, having antibiotics prior to dental surgery is actually not as common as it once was, and there are actually very few medical conditions that require antibiotics before dental surgery, and of the ones that do, most of them are heart-related.
Medical Conditions That May Require Antibiotics Prior To Dental Surgery
This list of medical conditions is not full and complete and can change based on the latest findings of medical professionals. That’s why it’s so important for men and women to remember that they should provide our doctors with a complete and thorough medical history during their initial consultation at Lytle, Tate & Stamper. This is the only way our doctors will be able to safely care for you during your dental surgery. Currently, the American Heart Association recommends antibiotics to be given prior to dental surgery for Pasadena dental patients who have:
• Prosthetic cardiac valves
• Prosthetic material used for cardiac valve repair
• A history of infective endocarditis
• Cardiac transplant with valve regurgitation due to a structural abnormality
• Congenital heart disease such as unprepared cyanotic congenital heart disease or any repaired congenital heart defect with residual shunts or vascular regurgitation at the site of or adjacent to the site of a prosthetic patch or prosthetic device
Outside of heart conditions, there are some medical conditions that may require antibiotics before dental surgery. If they deem it necessary, our doctors will consult with your other specialists or general healthcare provider to decide if antibiotics are required. Some of these circumstances are:
• The presence of a benign heart murmur
• A pacemaker or defibrillator
Consult With Our Doctors Regarding All Of Your Medical Conditions
If you know you’ll be needing dental surgery, or our doctors recommend it at your Pasadena consultation, be sure you give them your entire medical history before your procedure. This way they will be able to consult with any outside medical professionals they need to and make any necessary decisions to determine the need for antibiotics prior to your dental surgery.
And as always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call our Pasadena office at (818) 240-1805.
