Do I need to take an antibiotic before my dental appointment? Patients who have had rheumatic fever, heart murmur, heart valve replacement or orthopedic joint replacement are at risk for a condition called infectious endocarditis. The American Dental Association recommends these patients take a “pre-med” prior to dental work. Here’s why: Bacteria which normally inhabit [...]
Know the Guidelines If in the past your doctor has prescribed antibiotics before you had dental work, don't assume that your future holds more such meds. The guidelines may have changed since your last appointment… so check with your family doctor or cardiologist to learn if premedication is necessary for you. For years the American [...]
Homicide: bad word. It means killing another human being. Germicide? For many, good word. It promises to kill what are hated and feared most in this super-sanitary era: germs. Germ is sort of a catchall that refers to any microorganism we can't actually see. That's sort of like referring to every non-human living thing as [...]
Because we’re concerned about more than your teeth… If you’re a woman taking oral contraceptives, it’s understandable that you might not wish to mention this prior to a dental procedure. But it’s truly important that we know, and here’s why: Your dental procedure may include an antibiotic prescription to fight bacterial infection. It’s known that [...]
