How many days before dental surgery should you take antibiotics?

If you are a patient with certain kinds of heart disease or a special heart condition, or you've had a joint replaced, taking good care of your teeth and gums is a must not just for a healthy smile but also for your overall health.

Bacterial Endocarditis

Our participating dentists or a physician may recommend that you take antibiotics before your dental appointment because bleeding sometimes occurs during dental treatment and bacteria from the mouth possibly can enter the bloodstream. It is possible that these bacteria could work their way to the heart. This presents a risk for some people with cardiac abnormalities because the bacteria may cause bacterial endocarditis, a serious inflammation of the heart valves or tissues.

Certain heart conditions are associated more often with endocarditis than are others. To determine if an existing heart condition poses a risk, our participating dentists need complete health information on your medical history form. The form also should include the name and address of your family physician or cardiologist as well as the names and dosages of all medications that you take.

Do any of these apply to you?

• Heart surgery within the past six months
• Pacemaker
• Vascular surgery (replaced artery) within the past six months
• Artificial heart valve
• History of rheumatic fever
• History of heart murmur (mitral valve prolapse)
• Previous bacterial endocarditis
• Systemic pulmonary shunt
• Congenital heart defect
• Acquired valvular dysfunction

If you have any of these conditions, if you have been diagnosed with other heart ailments or if your health status has changed since your last dental visit, tell our participating dentists.

Joint Replacement Infections

It also is possible that the bacteria commonly found in the mouth may travel through the bloodstream and settle in your artificial joint. This increases your risk of contracting an infection. Your smile.com.au dentists and your orthopaedic surgeon, working together, will develop an appropriate course of treatment for you.

For everyone who has received a total joint replacement, antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended for the first two years after the replacement. After two years, only high-risk patients may need to receive antibiotics for high-risk procedures.

Do any of these high-risk situations apply to you?

• Rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus or other medical conditions that cause you to be immunocompromised or immunosuppressed
• Immunosuppression caused by drug or radiation treatment
• Malnourishment
• Hemophilia
• HIV infections
• Insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes
• Cancer

All patients in these high-risk categories may need antibiotics for all high-risk dental procedures.

Antibiotics to Help Prevent Infection

Your smile.com.au dentist or a physician may prescribe antibiotics for dental procedures that would result in bleeding from the gums or mucous membranes in the mouth. If you are taking new or different medicine (prescription or over-the-counter drugs) since your last dental appointment, advise your smile.com.au dentist so that your medical records can be updated. If you have developed allergies to any medicine since your last visit, advise your smile.com.au dentists. Your smile.com.au dentists may consult with your physician, cardiologist or orthopaedic surgeon to determine which antibiotics you should take before your dental visit. If you are taking antibiotic pills orally, be sure to fill your prescription before your next visit. Carefully follow instructions for the dosage and frequency.

posted: Jul. 11, 2019.

Antibiotics are medicines that treat bacterial infections. If you are scheduled for an upcoming dental surgery or procedure, your dentist may administer antibiotic anaphylaxis, the taking of antibiotics before any type of work which has the potential to release large amounts of bacteria into the bloodstream.

Any dental procedures that cause excess bleeding, such as tooth extractions, root canals, and even crowns, have the potential to release bacteria from the mouth into the bloodstream, potentially causing infections and other illnesses to develop. Certain patients are considered more at risk than others and may develop life-threatening conditions as a result of these infections compromising their health.

While your wondrous immune system is hard at work on a daily basis to eradicate excess bacteria and reduce the risk of infections, sometimes the use of an antibiotic before a dental procedure is recommended to lower additional risk of complications.

Taking antibiotics--the benefits must outweigh the potential risks

In the past, dentists prescribed the use of antibiotics much more freely before dental procedures, but with recent findings on the possible complications of antibiotic use, many are beginning to weigh the benefits of antibiotic anaphylaxis against the risks to determine if this protocol is right for their patients. Some patients with heart issues and those with artificial limbs and joints are at greatest risk for infection and disease, while for others, this protocol is deemed unnecessary. Let’s take a look at what some recent findings reveal on the necessity of antibiotic anaphylaxis before an invasive dental procedure:

Patients with heart issues: Necessary?

In years past, patients with heart murmurs or other irregularities were prescribed antibiotics as a preemptive strike against endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart caused by excess bacteria. It was later found that these patients remained at risk for endocarditis based on the number of bacteria normally present in the mouth that are stimulated by brushing, flossing, and regular oral care. In addition, the use of antibiotics to stave off endocarditis was determined to be largely ineffective; it was determined that patients with heart irregularities no longer needed anaphylaxis as part of their treatment protocol.

The American Heart Association now recommends the use of antibiotics for patients with the following conditions:

• Patients with prosthetic heart valves

• A history of infective endocarditis

• Those who have had a heart transplant with abnormal function and abnormal results

• Patients with unrepaired congenital heart defects

• Patients with congenital heart defects that have been repaired, with abnormal results

Patients with joint replacements: Necessary

In general, most dentists recommend a course of antibiotic treatment for those who have undergone joint replacement or have received a prosthetic implant, for these areas of the body are somewhat compromised even after surgery and are susceptible to infection. In particular, patients who have suppressed immune system function or other types of autoimmune disorders may be at risk for complications following a dental procedure, and the use of antibiotics is recommended.

Other uses for antibiotic anaphylaxis

If upon examination, your dentist detects symptoms of an acute or chronic oral infection, especially those that are accompanied by fever, swelling, or bleeding, you will be prescribed a course of antibiotics before any other invasive treatments are performed. An abscessed tooth is particularly dangerous, for this infection lies in the root of the tooth and the resulting bone tissue; if left unchecked it can spread quite quickly to other areas of the neck, head, and face. Talking to your dentist about your medical history, your known allergies to all prescription drugs, and any other relevant information will help the two of you effectively design a treatment plan that will work best.

Dr. Gordon E. Krueger: Professional advice for all types of dental treatment

Dr. Gordon E. Krueger, DDS, MS, PA and his top-notch team of associates have the tools and experience needed to help you make excellent treatment decisions for your oral health. If you have questions about treatment protocols that will be necessary for you and your situation, trust Dr. Krueger to answer all of your questions, calm your fears, and provide premium care for the restoration of your brightest and best smile. Contact us today to set up a consultation and get back on the road to good oral health! Visit https://www.gordonekruegerdds.com to get started. A sparkling, vibrant smile is in your future!

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