Remember when you first registered with your dentist you were asked about any medication you take and any known allergies. We also ask you when you come for regular check-ups or hygiene appointments so that we can keep your patient file up to date.
Questions regarding known allergies, for example to anaesthetics or antibiotics, are obviously related to dental treatment. But why would we want to know about other medicines?
Because there is a connection between many medicines we take and dental treatment we seek. Even medicines sold over the counter, i.e. without a prescription, can affect oral health and dental treatment.
For example, local anaesthetic injections can interact and interfere with medications you are taking. To eliminate any complications that could arise, we have to know exactly what medicines you are on.
We also prescribe medicines for dental infections and pain management, which could change the way your medicines for something unrelated work. Conversely, your other medicines could affect the way antibiotics work we give you because of a tooth abscess.
So please make a habit of telling us about any new medication you may be on – however unconnected to dental treatment it may seem. Your mouth is not separate from the rest of your body, and we don’t just fix teeth – we treat patients.
It is important for us to know the exact state of your general health so that we can plan for certain types of treatment. This means we need to know the name of the drug, the dosage, and the schedule you take it to avoid negative interactions with the medications we give you and the treatments we perform. If you are unsure whether the medicine you are taking might be relevant, bring the container or package to your appointment.