Pacemaker and dental work

Hi with a hug

by Lavender - 2024-07-12 01:39:23

I'm a former dental office employee. We got away from prescriptions for antibiotics for dental care years ago. If your cardiologist wants you to do it-it's not long term antibiotics. It's usually a one time dose prior to procedure. 
 

I was told that I do not need  premedication for dental care!
 

Xrays won't make any difference to your pacemaker. I have had my pacemaker for over three years and get my teeth cleaned every six months. Never any problems. 
 

Be more afraid of letting your teeth not get proper care. My nightly dental regimen takes about five minutes:  waterpik followed by sonicare toothbrushing then flossing and a fluoride rinse. I haven't had any cavities for maybe 20 years!  
 

Go to the dentist. If you had braces, you invested a lot of money into your mouth-keep them maintained😁

Your dental hygiene is excellent

by Gemita - 2024-07-12 02:27:34

Nina, you sound as though you are already taking good care of your teeth by paying attention to cleaning and that is the most important thing any of us can do to “prevent” infection.   I do the same and spend a great deal of time walking around with dental floss, different sizes of interdental brushes and a good electric toothbrush.  My hygienist often tells me I have the best mouth she has seen in a long long time!

Of course it goes without saying that you should be guided by your doctors/dentist on what would be appropriate for you before any dental work, particularly if you have other health conditions or specific heart conditions like heart failure, moderate to severe heart valve disease.   Also I make sure that I stay away from the dentist if I have an infection, other than a dental one and even a dental infection (abscess) will usually need to be treated with antibiotics, for example, prior to any treatment like root canal treatment.

If you are otherwise well and your cardiologist says there is no risk, I wouldn’t be concerned to have an annual hygienist appointment, or any other dental appointment, since tooth decay may be a risk factor for heart disease.  

Will you need antibiotics before seeing your hygienist?  I certainly don’t take antibiotics before seeing my hygienist or have any problems with dental X-rays.  The final decision of course should rest with our dentist/cardiologist, so follow their advice.  However guidelines have changed and antibiotics are not given routinely any more to "prevent" infection.  Antibiotics can save lives when truly needed, but should be prescribed only when necessary because misuse can cause serious side effects and lead to antibiotic resistance.

So like Lavender, I would recommend you keep up your dental visits without fear.  Good dental hygiene can help prevent disease

antiboditics

by new to pace.... - 2024-07-12 03:49:08

I take them becuase i had my shoulder replaced an not because of my pacemaker.  I say that is twice a year that any infection i have is gone.  Did find one that does not bother me..

new to pace

Dentistry

by piglet22 - 2024-07-12 06:27:01

Being a post war kid, I have some grim memories of early dentistry which affects you for the rest rest of your life.

Poor diet, cheap sugar laden sweets, zero dental health advice, NHS dentists extracting as much value out of your teeth with fillings rather than advice. And of course, no fluoride.

If only I could turn the clock back.

Now, having to go privately, it's a hundred times better. Hygienist, oral health checks, caring dentist.

I don't care for ultrasonic descaling, as the little known electroacoustic effect where sound generates voltages gives me gyp.

So this is nothing to do with oral antibiotics, but all to do with looking after your teeth.

A colleague at work was due to go in for a heart procedure.

He never made it and died beforehand.

This was because he had to have dental work done before he operation.

So poor dental health cost him his life 

I have to say, that last year when ectopics were laying me low, the dentist was more concerned than the GP surgery. It's a first when the dentist rings to ask how you are.

Thank you!

by Nina38 - 2024-07-12 09:39:24

I feel much better :)

Reading these encouraging feedback help calm my anxiety a lot.

My first dentist appointment will only be X-rays and discuss a plan of treatment.. like teeth cleaning. So I'll need to get that appointment scheduled.. 

A bit confused about the antibiotics. I'll need to confirm with my cardiologist... 

:)

antibiotics

by Tracey_E - 2024-07-12 09:53:23

Both AMA and ADA stopped recommending antibiotics over a decade ago. 

This is interesting...

by Andiek11 - 2024-07-12 09:53:39

Just prior to my implant I contacted my dentist to get my bi-annual cleaning and to see how the PM might impact future dental work.  They mentioned that in the future I'd have to take a course of anti-biotics prior to cleaning or dental work.  I am NOT a big pill fan.  If they are an absolute requirement for excellent reasons, I'll go for it. But now reading these responses I see that use of preventitive antibiotics is not required by all.  Interesting to read what's been posted and this info will serve as a basis for discussion with my dentist at future appts. ( of changing dentists which I hope I don't have to do.)

Dentists and dental hygienists - and antibiotics

by crustyg - 2024-07-12 12:58:21

I echo Piglet's experience: two front teeth extracted with Entonox at age 8, ineffective sedation or pain relief, felt it all.  Not great.

Descalers: magnetic induction - not suitable for PM/ICD patients.  Piezo-electric devices are OK.

Antibiotics: case-by-case.  Routine dental treatment (inc descaling), not usually needed, unless very poor oral hygiene.  Extractions: depends.  Had a wisdom tooth extracted last year, upper 8: dentist warned of a real disk of connecting mouth to maxillary sinus (long roots on tooth), and as a proven Staph Aureus nasal carrier very dangerous for me (happily MSSA). Prophylactic flucloxacillin (which in the UK/NICE madhouse can *not* be prescribed by Dentist, only Doctor.  Just as well, 1hr of rigors starting 2.5hr after extraction (rigors being the body's response to bacteria in the blood stream - *not* the same as sepsis or septicaemia which is bacteria growing in the blood stream), with temperature spike to 40C.  Probably have to have the other side done next year, and definitely shall be having antibiotic cover.  There's a paper showing an increased rate of infected devices since UK NICE recommended no routine antibiotic cover for invasive dental procedure.  Key word there is *invasive*.