Dental practitioners take action to minimize the risk of a disease from certain procedures that may allow bacteria from the mouth to enter the bloodstream. Antibiotic premedication therapy is a prophylactic measure that prevents bacteria from being released into the blood stream. The bacteria can infect the heart lining, as well as the valves or blood vessels, causing them to become inflamed. Infective endocarditis (IE), the name for the inflammation, has the potential to be fatal or debilitating. The risk of developing IE can happen from a combi¬nation of high-risk patients and dental procedures. While this is not an issue for most patients, some do require protection. The American Heart Association recommends antibiotic premedication therapy before dental procedures. But only for those whose cardiac conditions as well as a few other conditions are associated with the highest risk of adverse outcome.3
To know who and why a patient will need antibiotic premedication therapy, the hygienist has to keep an accurate and up to date patient history. It is significant because the oral conditions reflect the general health of the patient, common health factors influence response to treatment, and the patients health is constantly changing.1 Preventative antibiotics before a dental procedure are advised for patients with underlying cardiac conditions, a history of IE, and total joint replacements who have suppressed immune systems. Conditions that require premedication include:3
A. Congenital heart disease, but only the following types:
a. Unrepaired Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease
Cyanotic heart disease is a heart defect, present at birth that results in low blood oxygen levels. With a series of surgeries, this condition is usually tr...
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...ot prescribed for individuals with immediate-type hypersensitivity reaction (urticarial, angioedema, or anaphylaxis) to penicillins or ampicillin.i
As stated above, the risk of developing IE can happen from a combination of high-risk patients and certain dental procedures. Antibiotic premedication therapy is valuable to those who require it. The clinician will work with the patients physician and take a close look at the up-to-date medical history and what kind of dental treatment will be carried out to ensure that the proper safety information can be utilized.
Works Cited
1Wilkins, Esther M. (2013). Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist
2American Dental Association
3 American Heart Association (2013) Retrieved from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/CongenitalHeartDefects/TheImpactofCongenitalHeartDefects/Infective-Endocarditis_UCM_307108_Article.jsp
More than a quarter of all cases occur in individuals that are older than 60 years of age (Heart Valves and Infective Endocarditis, 2014). In the United States alone, national data indicated that in 2009 there were up to 28,000 hospital discharges related to IE (What is Infective Endocarditis, 2012). As stated, endocarditis occurs when germs enter the bloodstream and infect individuals who already have a weakened heart. Bacteria and germs have always existed from the beginning of time, and it today’s culture, there are more and more individuals with heart conditions that are prone to having this
Smith brings his 4-year-old to your office with chief complaints of right ear pain, sneezing, mild cough, and low-grade fever of 100 degrees for the last 72 hours. Today, the child is alert, cooperative, and well hydrated. You note a mildly erythemic throat with no exudate, both ears mild pink tympanic membrane with good movement, lungs clear. You diagnose an acute upper respiratory infection, probably viral in nature. Mr. Smith is states that the family is planning a trip out of town starting tomorrow and would like an antibiotic just in case.
...ent Reform. "Healthcare-associated Infections: A Preventable Epidemic : Hearing before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Tenth Congress, Second Session, April 16, 2008, Volume 4." - HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS: A PREVENTABLE EPIDEMIC. U.S. G.P.O., 2009, 14 May 2010. Web. Accessed: 18 Oct. 2013.
In conclusion, it is important for the dental staff to treat all patients as if they are infected. A patient may or may not choose to disclose any information pertaining to their disease or they may not be aware of it. It is also important for the dental staff to have immunizations done at regular intervals. The hygienist needs to make sure he or she protects him or herself as well as the patient during treatment. Discrimination against someone with a disease is illegal. With that in mind it is the clinician’s duty to be aware of diseases he or she may come into contact with and how to treat the patient.
To provide proper patient education there first needs to be an understanding of the history of antibiotics. “Alexander Fleming identified the mold Pecicilium notatum, which inhibited the growth in certain bacteria. Examples of these bacteria re Staphylococcus aureus, haemolytic streptococcus, pneumococci, and meneingococci. In 1929, he published his findings suggesting that penicillin could be used for treatment but he made no further progress.”(141-142)
In the last decade, the number of prescriptions for antibiotics has increases. Even though, antibiotics are helpful, an excess amount of antibiotics can be dangerous. Quite often antibiotics are wrongly prescribed to cure viruses when they are meant to target bacteria. Antibiotics are a type of medicine that is prone to kill microorganisms, or bacteria. By examining the PBS documentary Hunting the Nightmare Bacteria and the article “U.S. government taps GlaxoSmithKline for New Antibiotics” by Ben Hirschler as well as a few other articles can help depict the problem that is of doctors prescribing antibiotics wrongly or excessively, which can led to becoming harmful to the body.
is an area of issue. Some prophylactics given before or after according to specified order
The prevention of periodontitis is straightforward for patients. The first step in prevention is to assure that the patient is brushing twice a day utilising the proper brushing technique. Patients who fear the contraction of periodontitis are not encouraged to brush too much however, as excessive brushing with poor technique can lead to other oral problems such as the reduction of the gums (gingival recession). Brushing at least twice a day help inhibit the growth of unwanted bacteria and prevents plaque, and thus tartar from forming. Patients who wish to prevent periodontitis should also floss daily. Flossing daily includes the spaces between each tooth, as well as behind the last two molars on the mandibular and maxillary arches. Flossing should get in below the gum line to prevent bacteria from congregating just below the surface. The last at home, over-the-counter treatment available for the prevention of periodontitis is the use of an antiseptic mouthwash. While proper use of mouthwash in conjunction with the other techniques can help cure gingivitis, once periodontal disease has elapsed stage 1 of periodontal disease, no amount of mouthwash or brushing can restore attachment lost in the periodontium.
Oxygen is widely used in both chronic and acute cases, in emergency medicine, at hospital or by emergency medical services (Nicholson, 2004 ). Just like any other form of medication oxygen is a drug that if used incorrectly could cause potential harm, even death (Luettel, 2010 ). Oxygen is admitted to the patient with chest pain for two main rationales. The first is by increasing arterial oxygen tension, which in opposing causes a decrease to the acute ischemic injury, and thus over time the entire infarct area (Moradk...
Thesis: With the advent of antibiotics in 1929 Fleming said, "The time may come when penicillin can be bought by anyone in the shops.Then there is the danger that the ignorant man may easily underdose himself and by exposing his microbes to non-lethal quantities of the drug make them resistant."With the overuse of antibiotics today we have seen this very idea come to be.Over usage is caused most prevalently by a lack of education on the part of the patient.Thus stated, the way to overcome such a circumstance is to educate, not only the patient but also the physician.
Dental professionals should promote a message that a strong biologic connection exists between oral and systemic health. Therefore, having a good understanding of oral health and systemic health is beneficial and can help you protect yourself. Streptococcus mutants, the bacteria found in periodontal infection are also the bacteria found in many of the cardiovascular diseases. This establishes a strong relationship between these two conditions.
The aim of endodontic procedures is to get rid of the infection and of the periapical tissue
The infection is now destroying the bone that supports your teeth. Eliminating bacteria through good oral hygiene is not possible.
All practicing dentists, dental associates, and laboratories follow standard precautions and recommendations specified by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The standard precautions, previously known as the universal standard precautions, focus on the perception that all blood and bodily fluids, regardless if they contain blood, such as saliva, may be contaminated and should be considered infectious. (Bebermeyer). The infection control methods that are practiced in dental offices were established by the CDC in 2003 with Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Healthcare Settings (Kohn). These guidelines include the use of protective barriers, personal protective w...
Patients who are already in a poor state of health can become infected more easily. There are several treatments that leave patients vulnerable to infection. For instance, immunosuppression and antacid treatment undermine the body 's defenses. The prolonged use of antibiotics may reduce the effectiveness of a patient 's own immune system. If a hospital warns patients of the risk of infections before the patient begins treatment and gives the patient an opportunity to opt out of the treatment, it can be excused from assuming the responsibility of the