Treatment FAQ

a designated medication which a patient must take prior to dental treatment

by Simone Howe Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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That's why we prescribe an antibiotic like amoxicillin. The patient takes one dose about a half-hour to one hour before the procedure, and that should be all he or she needs." Either your dentist or your primary care physician will prescribe the dosage. If you forget to take it before your appointment, ask your dentist.

Full Answer

What are the American Heart Association recommendations for dental premedications?

A designated medication, which a patient must take prior to dental treatment. Cricothyrotomy. A surgical procedure to open the airway. ... Four common items patients have allergic reaction to in the dental office. Anaphylactic Shock. Can be life threating allergic reaction. ... Medication a patient may take that suffers from SCA.

What is premedication for dental appointments?

If you answer yes, you may need to take an antibiotic before certain types of dental treatment. "Whenever a patient has an artificial heart valve or an artificial joint, there's a higher risk of infection," said Dr. Ajay Singh, a general dentist at Coast Dental Ocala South in Ocala, Florida.

Should I pre-medicate my dental patients with antibiotics?

Oct 24, 2021 · Before your dentist can even consider pulling your tooth, they’ll first need to be aware of your meds list, which needs to include all medications, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal compounds that you take. This includes both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) items. And it must include all of the compounds you take, no matter ...

When is premedication prescribed for dental anxiety?

Background: The risk of excessive bleeding often prompts physicians to interrupt the antiplatelet agents as acetylsalicilyc acid and clopidogrel before dental extractions which puts patients at risk of adverse thrombotic events. Aim: To assess the bleeding risk during dental extractions in patients with continued antiplatelet therapy.

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What are the conditions that can be treated with antibiotics?

The good news is the AMA says many patients with heart problems who used to take prophylactic antibiotics no longer need them, including patients with: 1 heart murmurs 2 rheumatic heart disease 3 bicuspid valve disease 4 calcified aortic disease 5 congenital heart conditions such as ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

How long should you take antibiotics after joint replacement?

The recommendation used to be that patients take an antibiotic before dental cleanings, extractions or oral surgery for up to two years after a joint replacement surgery.

What is an artificial heart valve?

artificial heart valves. a history of infective endocarditis, which is an infection of the lining inside the heart or heart valves. a heart transplant that developed a heart valve problem. certain types of congenital heart conditions.

What is bicuspid valve disease?

bicuspid valve disease. calcified aortic disease. congenital heart conditions such as ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. If you have any questions about whether you need to take an antibiotic before your dental appointment, just ask your dentist.

Do you need antibiotics before dental treatment?

When you fill out your medical history form at the dentist's office, you'll notice it asks if you've had any of these procedures. If you answer yes, you may need to take an antibiotic before certain types of dental treatment.

Why do dentists need antibiotics?

The reason why a dental patient may need to take an antibiotic before their treatment is primarily due to the risk of oral biofilm entering the blood supply through the mouth, as it’s being disrupted by the dentist or hygienist.

How long should I take antibiotics before surgery?

In most cases, the antibiotic is taken about one hour prior to the procedure, or for a week leading up to it. The duration will depend on the type of treatment being performed ...

Can you take antibiotics for a root canal?

Taking an antibiotic leading up to the treatment — especially if it’s an abscessed or infected tooth that will be extracted or getting a root canal — can make the day of the procedure much easier. Not only will the numbing “take” more easily, but having less of an infection around the area will improve recovery.

Can I get a second opinion from someone else?

If you’re not comfortable with your dentist’s recommendations, it’s fine to get a second opinion from someone else. In fact, many dental insurance companies encourage it. If you don’t have coverage and aren’t able to line up a complimentary consultation, you may want to consider joining a Cigna dental discount program such as the ones at Cigna Dental Plans. Such savings plans offer 15-50% discounts on treatments like fillings, root canals, and more. Contact a dental savings expert today for more information.

Do you have to take antibiotics on the day of a dental appointment?

If it’s a prophylactic treatment to prevent an infection during your dental procedure, you’ll probably only have to take the medication on the day of the appointment.

What is oral sedation?

In contrast, oral sedation means taking a pill or a liquid drug to make you feel relaxed during dental treatment. Oral sedation can be used as an alternative to inhalation sedation or IV sedation. Choosing the right medication and dose should be based on your individual needs and medical situation and done under an expert’s care.

What is the drug used for IV sedation?

Versed (liquid midazolam) Midazolam, the drug used for IV sedation can also be used for oral sedation. It produces sleepiness and memory loss. It is given as a drink, usually mixed with orange. This can be useful for people with extreme needle phobia.

What are the side effects of benzodiazepines?

This varies from drug to drug. For example, some benzodiazepines are safe to take if you have liver problems, while others are not. And some are safe to take if you have heart problems, while others are not. Let your doctor or dentist know if you have any of the following: 1 known allergy to the drug 2 neuromuscular disorders 3 narrow-angle glaucoma 4 pregnancy 5 respiratory diseases 6 congestive heart failure 7 impaired kidney or liver function 8 depression, bipolar disorder, or psychoses 9 chronic bronchitis 10 or other conditions.

How long does Temazepam last?

But its short half-life (about 4 hours) makes it ideal for use as an anti-anxiety drug. It starts to kick in after about half an hour to an hour. A usual dose for an anxious, otherwise healthy adult of normal weight is 10 mg. For a more severely anxious adult, it’s 20 mg. Temazepam works great for many people.

Is Valium a benzodiazepine?

Because it’s so well-known, many dentists still prescribe Valium (another benzodiazepine). And over the years, we’ve had quite a few posters on our forum who found it useful for calming pre-appointment nerves. But temazepam’s faster onset of action and shorter duration of action make it the preferred choice for dental anxiety.

How long does diazepam stay in your system?

One major disadvantage of diazepam is that it stays in the system for much longer than it is needed. It has a half-life of 20-100 hours.

Can you take benzodiazepines if you have liver problems?

For example, some benzodiazepines are safe to take if you have liver problems, while others are not. And some are safe to take if you have heart problems, while others are not. Let your doctor or dentist know if you have any of the following: known allergy to the drug. neuromuscular disorders.

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Treatment

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Most commonly, premedication is prescribed for relieving anxiety in the hours immediately before a dental appointment. An anti-anxiety pill taken the night before the appointment, an hour before going to bed, can help with falling asleep and getting some rest. Alternatives include a stiff drink or stocking up on rescue reme…
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Society and culture

  • Oral sedation on the other hand refers to using an oral drug to produce a state of conscious sedation, as an alternative to inhalation sedation or IV sedation.
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Pharmacology

  • Temazepam, one of the benzodiazepines, is now the most commonly used premedication among dentists whove had training in dental anxiety management. It was originally marketed as a sleep-inducing drug but its short half-life (about 4 hours) makes it ideal for use as an anti-anxiety drug. It starts to kick in after about half an hour to an hour. A usual dose for an anxious, otherwise healt…
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Side effects

  • However, it doesnt work well for everyone in some people 40 mg of temazepam produces minimal effects whilst in others as little as 10 mg produces profound sedation. This is a problem with all benzodiazepines there is no known method of identifying who is susceptible and who is resistant to their effect. And the same person may react differently to them on different days.
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Benefits

  • Because its so well-known, Valium (another benzodiazepine) is still prescribed by many dentists. And over the years, weve had quite a few posters on our forum who did find it useful for calming pre-appointment nerves. However, temazepams faster onset of action and shorter duration of action mean that nowadays, it is the preferred choice for dental anxiety.
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Availability

  • Diazepam is available in tablets of 2 mg, 5 mg and 10 mg. The dose depends on the individual and factors such as age and general health. As a rough guide, a dose between 0.1mg and 0.25mg per kg of body weight one hour before the dental procedure and after a light snack is recommended 1. One major disadvantage of diazepam is that it stays in the system for much longer than it is nee…
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Contraindications

  • This varies from drug to drug. For example, some benzodiazepines are safe to take if you have liver problems, while others are not, and some are safe to take if you have heart problems, while others are not. You should be sure to inform your doctor or dentist if any of the following apply: known allergy to the drug, neuromuscular disorders, narrow-angle glaucoma, pregnancy, respirat…
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Uses

  • Alcohols use as a sedative in dentistry has never been popular :(. Still, alcohol has long been used by apprehensive patients as a means of self-medication before dental appointments. Some people find that a G&T or a small glass of wine before their appointment does the trick: It is given as a drink (usually mixed with orange). This can be useful for people with extreme needle phobi…
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Medical uses

  • Temazepam can be used not only as a premedication agent, but also to produce oral sedation in adults when used in higher doses such as 30-40 mg 2.
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Risks

  • Oral sedation A hit-and-miss affair? One problem associated with oral sedation is that it can be a bit of a hit-and-miss affair. Basically, you dont know how well the drug will be absorbed from the stomach. Because the response to a drug is unpredictable anyway, you have to tailor the dose so that the 25% of people most susceptible to the drug wont get an overdose. But that means that t…
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Effects

  • When using IV sedation, the effects are almost immediate, so its easy to give more midazolam until the desired level of sedation is reached. This isnt the case with oral sedation, where you have to wait about 10-20 minutes to see how the drug affects you. Seeing how IV sedation is so much more predictable and reliable, oral sedation is only really used when IV or inhalation sedation ar…
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Resources

  • The information on this page has been provided by Dental Fear Central. Last reviewed by Gordon Laurie BDS, a specialist in Special Care Dentistry, on November 8, 2018. We welcome your feedback on our information resources.
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