Why does a dentist need to know about your other health issues, when you are just there to see
them about your teeth? You take medications, but this doesn’t affect your teeth, does it?
It is important that your dentist is aware of your medical history and any medications you are
taking and is this updated regularly – noting any recent hospital visits you may have had to new
medicines you might be taking. This is for your safety and to provide the best dental care we can.
Medications can affect areas of your body, well beyond the area that they are taken to treat.
- Your current and previous medications
- The details of your emergency contact and medical practitioners involved in your care
- Any recent testing you may have had (e.g. if you have high blood pressure or diabetes – when they were last checked and what readings you received)
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Any vitamins, minerals, supplements, or medications you have bought without a prescription
- If you have any dental anxiety
- Any allergies or intolerances
- Any medical conditions you may have
- Whether you smoke or vape
- Whether you take recreational drugs or drink alcohol
There are many reasons why I need to be updated with your medical history and
some of them are as follows:
- Some medicines can cause side effects in your mouth such as dry mouth which might
increase your risk of tooth decay and infections e.g. antihypertensives (high blood pressure)
and antidepressants. If we know you are more at risk of decay, we will recommend additional
measures to help protect you from decay. - Some medicines and supplements might increase the risk of bleeding which might affect
your treatment plan. For example, if you need to have a tooth removed, we need to know if
you are at more risk of bleeding before removing your tooth. - Some medications, for example, bisphosphonates commonly taken for osteoporosis can
affect healing in your mouth. - Some habits such as smoking can affect how well things heal in your mouth and may
increase the risk of oral cancer.
Therefore, it is very important to let us know of any changes you may have had with your
medications, or your medical history in general, to decrease the chances of causing any problems to
give you the best possible health outcomes that we can provide. As a rule, we will give you a form to
help us with this process.
Book an appointment or contact us for more info.
