Dental visits before surgery

Valve Replacement Forums

Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

BarbJean

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 16, 2010
Messages
214
Location
We live upstate New York, outside of Albany, in La
It seems like so many of you have mentioned going to the dentist before surgery. I asked the surgeon and he said Colin should just have his teeth checked to be sure there were no problems or infections. I really forgot to ask alot of details about that with so many other questions on my list. His surgery is on July 21st. I could not get a dental appointment until July 6th, two weeks before. Should he have a cleaning done then? I am wondering if that is a no no since maybe bacteria could get in his blood during a cleaning? He will be having a repairt of the valve, not a replacement. Any ideas?
 
I was advised not to have a cleaning, just a visual check and x-rays to make sure there aren't any infections. They told me not to have them cleaned or have any work done.
 
My surgeon, cardio, primary care and dentist all agree they want me pre-medicated before every dental appointment. I have tissue valve.
Prior to my surgery, my surgeon required I have a dental check to assure I had no infection in my mouth. About two weeks prior to learning I needed the surgery, I had my teeth cleaned (with pre-medication) and it was good I had as they did not want me back to the dentist for six months post op. I waited approximately a month after learning I needed the surgery until I had it.
 
Gabe still gets antibiotics before every visit. When the guidelines changed his PC wasn't comfortable with the new ones so he kept getting them, and at some point last year I found a FAQ page on the ADA website that made it sound like all people with mechanical or tissue valves/arteries need them every time, regardless of how long it's been since surgery. I wasn't able to find that link a few weeks ago but my feeling is that a dose of antibiotics every 6 months is a better safe than sorry kind of thing. I have no comments on the cleaning before surgery as we haven't yet been in that position!

Becca
 
Personally, if it were me, I would call the dentist back and say," hi... I was kind of hoping I could get my son in for a his appointment a little sooner. He is going to have open heart surgery on the 21st and I really kind of spaced out this dentist thing, seeing as how there are so many other things to prepare for and understand when your child is getting ready for such serious surgery. Is there any way you could squeeze him in a lot sooner? I would be so appreciative."

Seriously. There is no reason why he can't get in to see the dentist sooner. People are always willing to help out. I think the dentist should know what is coming up for him, too, so that they can chime in their two cents on the antibiotic thing and on the cleaning thing. If something is found by the dentist, they (all the doctors) may want to deal with it. Nobody wants to postpone anything and so getting him a clean bill of health from the dentist sooner than later is a great idea.

Marguerite
 
barbjean,

had my cleaning and 2 fillings done the week before surgery, so that the next dentist visit could be as far as 6 months post op.
Surgeon highly recommended that mild antibiotics be taken post op before any dental work, from hereon as the biggest danger is bacterial infection for a heart patient. so dang be the article, that recommended antibiotics as not required for heart patients...the recommended antibiotics are very small dose anyways
so checkup is a good thing pre op and do advise dentist and staff that, surgery is imminent, they will likely find a way to accomodate, as Marguerite has suggested if additional work required
 
I would get the cleaning and use the antibiotics this time, just to satisfy everyone associated with it. He can probably get the cleaning appointment separately earlier than the regular one. If the regular appointment shows he needs work, it must be done ASAP, preferrably at that appointment.

There is no use in pointing out that over 50 years of evidence reviewed by representatives of the AHA and ACC show no evidence that the single antibiotic predose works at all. People want to believe in the magic, and physicians like to evoke that magic aura to help make people to believe they're being taken care of, or just to cover themselves if someone does get IE. I've typed my fingers blue on this topic. Taking them once isn't likely to do your hubby damage, and it will hold the wolves at bay in this short time before the surgery.

I've had the surgery twice, and I haven't taken the premeds for years (they've caused other troubles for me). I know from the medical community's own experience that if I do ever get infective endocarditis, it would not have helped to take the premeds, so I am content.

But this isn't the time to draw this line in the sand. He may need the dental work and he does need the surgery. It's just not a good time to be at odds with anyone in the medical fields who might affect his surgery timeline, just in case they're behind the times on this one issue. Get him to eat yogurt for a few days afterwards.

Best wishes,
 
Bina, Colin has not even been taking the antibiotics anymore since the AHA changed their guidelines. He has a prolapsed mitral valve with trivial leakage. Think he should have continued to use them?

My dentist recommends that I take a single large dose before my cleanings etc. because I need some deeper gum work, but I will ask him again in the fall when I go back. It would be nice to stop them, because they bother my stomach a bit, but then it's only twice annually.
 
Thanks, Bob. He has his cleaning appointment and check two weeks before the surgery. Do you think that is too close to the surgery?

My surgeon instructed me to go see the dentist and have my teeth fixed if needed and cleaned. The dentist told me that the most common place for bacteria to hide is in between the teeth therefore the cleaning is a good idea. I was in last week for a check up and partial cleaning and then I am going back for the remaining cleaning to be done two weeks prior to surgery. My dentist won't do it without the antibiotics. Hope this helps :)
 
I'm getting a new aortic valve and ascending aorta one week from today. I'm getting a cleaning this coming Tuesday (three days before my surgery) -- my surgeon at Mass General told me it's fine. I saw the dentist for the infection inspection (I love saying that) two days ago, and during it he said I"m a plaque machine (which I am...even though I have reasonably good brushing habits) so getting it all out of the mouth before surgery helps reduce infection risk a bit. Don't do anything without asking your surgeon though -- you'd hate to have the surgery delayed due to a tooth cleaning.
 
BarbJean,

to echo the above, my professionals also recommend anti biotics pre cleaning/dental work, in my case 4 x 500mg Apo-Amoxi.

had cleaning and 2 fillings in week before surgery, it all worked well
 
I just had my teeth cleaned and had to have a full mouth x-ray. The dentist had to sign a form that I had no infections. He had to fax it to the Clevealnd Clinic. I had to get them to put me in earlier since I did not want to wait until just before my surgery. When you tell them you are facing open heart surgery, they usually will make every effort to work with you. At least my dentist did. I always take 4 500mg cephelexin before any cleaning or dental work since I also have a hip replacement besides the heart murmur. I always felt it was worth doing, even though the dental association had changed their view not long ago. I tend to go with a conservative, common sense approach. My dentist still insists I take my antiobiotics an hour before any treatment.
 
I'm getting a new aortic valve and ascending aorta one week from today. I'm getting a cleaning this coming Tuesday (three days before my surgery) -- my surgeon at Mass General told me it's fine. I saw the dentist for the infection inspection (I love saying that) two days ago, and during it he said I"m a plaque machine (which I am...even though I have reasonably good brushing habits) so getting it all out of the mouth before surgery helps reduce infection risk a bit. Don't do anything without asking your surgeon though -- you'd hate to have the surgery delayed due to a tooth cleaning.



My Mass General Surgeon also was happy I had teeth cleaned prior to surgery. He really did not want me at the dentist for six months post op.
Hope you have the wonderful nurses that took care of me twice in CICU and Ellison 8 step down. I am forever grateful for their great care..... all of the techs, PA's and staff truly were outstanding.

Best wishes.
Hope you'll let us know how you are doing as soon as you are able.
 
I've been taking the antibiotics for a couple of years now even before the avr. I went about a month before to have cleaning, check up & had 2 fillings , everything was good. After surgery I started getting pain when drinking hot (not good). Got a little worse when I came home called surgeon nothing invasive for 3 months (UGH) , take Motrin for pain.
I must have had a small cavity and with all the sleeping with my mouth open caused it to get bigger. Two week later eating a life saver, crack whole side of tooth comes off. Called Cardio he said make sure take the antibiotics but still nothing invasive. Dentist bonds the tooth and now I wait to have a root canel and the cavity filled and of course on different sides . Brushing after every meal and using mouth wash to keep the mouth nice and clean
My suggestion make sure teeth are all good before surgery don't want to wait till after.
Good Luck to you and Colin.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top