Regular visits to the dentist’s office are essential for diagnosing, treating and preventing Dental problems. The dental professional helps you to maintain your oral Health and hygiene by detecting the problems early. They can provide preventive care and suggest lifestyle changes to ensure your oral health and well-being.

While you are at the dentist, It is crucial to provide them with your medical history to receive bespoke dental care. Many people are unaware that there is a strong connection between your dental health and general well-being. Many dental treatments can affect your health if you are already on certain medications or have certain pre-existing health conditions. Disclosing your medical history with your dentist will prevent health risks and allow the dentist to find an alternative treatment. Let us learn further about the link between medical history and oral health and why you must inform your dentist about it.

A] Medical History And Dental Care

Medical history provides the dentist with all the information about the medicines and treatments you have been taking or have taken in the past. This is because certain treatments and medications can affect your oral health and cause problems like tooth decay and dry mouth. Dentists can recognise these symptoms and provide appropriate treatment. 

On the other hand, certain dental treatments can interfere with ongoing treatments for other health conditions. The dentist can recommend alternative treatments or advise you to not go through with the dental treatments. The dentists would also refrain from prescribing medicine that would make the conditions worse or put the patient’s well-being at risk. 

It is also important to provide your complete medical history from the past as well as the present. Even if you have informed the dentist about your medication history during your first visit, you must make sure to keep them updated about all of your conditions and medications since then. This can prevent the risk of accidentally making your conditions worse, and ensure the treatment is tailored for your health needs.

B] Risk Assessment

Risk assessment refers to the process of evaluating the patient’s conditions, medication and health risks and how the required dental treatment could affect them. A thorough risk assessment is essential to optimise the care provided to the patient and ensure safety. Seemingly healthy patients must also be evaluated for chronic issues that could interfere with dental treatment. 

It is the responsibility of the dentist to ensure that the procedure will have no adverse side effects on the patient’s health. However, the patient must also cooperate and should not hide any medical conditions from the dentist. 

Risk management aims to provide comprehensive and safe dental treatment to the patient without precipitating health risks. A complete risk assessment helps the dentist understand conditions like excessive bleeding risks, anxiety and stress, infection risks, and medication that affects anaesthesia. These issues can complicate even the simplest dental procedures for adults as well as children. An experienced and acclaimed family dentist in Sunshine Coast can help you guide through these processes and ensure your and your family’s wellness.

If you are looking for a family dentist in Sunshine Coast, our guide for finding the perfect family dentist can help you make the right decision.

C] Importance Of Medical History Of A Patient For The Dentist

1. Medications And Allergies

Providing your medical list of treatments and conditions to the dentist will inform them about your conditions from the past and present. The dentist should also be informed about your allergies. Certain medications and allergies can interfere with the dentist’s treatment causing more problems for the patient in the long run. 

A dentist aims to provide holistic treatments which solve the patient’s problems effectively. Certain medications used for dental procedures can interfere with the effects of other medicines that you use for treating any other health conditions you may have. An experienced dentist will understand this and suggest alternative techniques or medicine for the procedure.

Materials used in dental procedures like crowns and fillings can also trigger allergic reactions and require specialised materials. Informing your dentist about your allergies can ensure a safe and effective dental experience.

2. Health Conditions

If the patient suffers from pre-existing health conditions, the dentist might coordinate with the patient’s physician to ensure the treatment offered is safe. Many health conditions make it difficult to perform safe and effective surgeries and procedures. The medicines generally prescribed might also not be suited to the patient and must be given alternatives. Here are some health conditions and how they affect dental treatment:

• Blood Pressure: If the patient suffers from very high blood pressure, the risk of stroke and heart attack is increased. Dentists must check the patient’s blood pressure before any procedure.
• Diabetes: It is important to monitor and manage your blood sugar level before a procedure to reduce the risk of accidental health complications.
• Pregnancy: The dentist must be made aware of your state of pregnancy and any prenatal vitamins and medicines. The patient must also refrain from undergoing an X-ray.
• Sleep Apnea: Patients with sleep apnea require special methods to keep their airways open while under anaesthesia. If appropriate measures are not taken, the patient can be at risk of choking while unconscious.
• Dry Mouth: Dry mouth (lack of saliva produced) can lead to forming cavities and other serious problems. It can be caused by various reasons like radiation therapy and chain smoking. If you are interested to learn more about the health effects of smoking, you can refer to our detailed blog about the long-term and short-term effects of smoking.

These are some of the health conditions which the dentist must be aware of before the procedure or could result in fatal tragedy. Of course, there are many major and minor health issues which could grow exponentially if the dentist is not made aware of them.

3. Communication And Trust

Providing your medical records to your dentist can build better trust and reliability. It helps the doctor to understand your medical condition and provide a better treatment solution. Communicating with your dentist about your issues can ensure the treatment is personalised and offers a better quality of life experience.

Some patients are concerned about their condition’s anonymity while sharing it with a doctor. The medical data that you share with a dentist is secure and kept private and is not shared with anyone without your knowledge. Dentists ensure that they communicate effectively with their patients and make them aware of alternative treatments which suit their needs.

Knowing about alternative treatment options can help you to make better decisions and even reduce expenses. A dentist with whom you have built good relations can also guide you through the various payment options according to your needs. If you are looking to explore the various payment and insurance options, you can refer to our Sunshine Coast payment options & dental insurance guide.

Conclusion

Dentists require a medical history for dental patients to provide safe and effective dental care. Patients must make sure to provide the dentist with complete detail of their medical conditions, medication, allergies and treatments. This will help the dentist to provide bespoke treatment to the patient that does not affect their ongoing treatment or make their conditions worse. 

The patient must also take the initiative to communicate clearly and build trust. Your oral health can affect your general well-being and vice versa, hence, you must explain your medical history in detail to your dentist. 

In case you are looking for a dentist in Sunshine Coast, Oris Dental can be an exceptional choice for ensuring holistic dental care for the entire family. Book an appointment with us at the earliest!