Tag Archives: Dental Care

Are All Dental Care Prescriptions Really Necessary?

Posted on by

Dental Care Prescriptions

Dental care prescriptions are offered for a wide variety of reasons, either prior to or after dental treatment. Many dental treatments are provided to combat various oral conditions, or to relieve and control pain. Nonetheless, research suggests that, by far, the majority of medicines prescribed by dentists are anti-biotics.

Pain Relief and Dental Care Prescriptions

Almost all dental people experience pain to varying degrees, whether before, during or after dental treatment. Medications recommended to manage pain can be anesthetics, which numb the area, or

analgesics, which are pain-relieving drugs. The most commonly suggested analgesics are ibuprofen, and acetaminophen, but for truly severe pain the dentist may suggest narcotic analgesics such as hydrocodone or Vicodin. Codeine preparations containing acetaminophen are additionally very efficient. For pain that is come with by swelling and swelling, the most common dentist prescriptions will be corticosteroids like Orabase and Oralone.

Dental Care Prescriptions to Fight Mouth Condition

Great deals of dental patients are located to suffer from gingivitis, which is swelling of the gums. An usual sort of dental prescription for this is chlorhexidine, which comes either as a mouth rinse, or in a gelatin-filled chip, which is put in the gum sockets for the drug to be released over about seven days. An additional typical mouth condition is oral thrush or candidiasis, for which the dentist will likely recommend antifungals such as Nystatin or Mycostatin. Salagan or pilocarpine may be prescribed if a client has been detected with dry mouth.

Dental Care Prescriptions for Infection Control

There are a variety of infections that may happen adhering to dental surgery, for which antibiotics could be suggested. These could be periodontal infections, infections around wisdom teeth, or dental abscesses. Gingivitis might additionally call for antibiotics if it ends up being ulcerative.

The most typical anti-biotics in dental prescribing are penicillin and amoxicillin. For folks who are allergic to penicillin,erythromycin is normally prescribed. To treat dental abscesses in soft tissue and bone, especially those that do not react to penicillin, the antibiotic Clindamycin is commonly found to be effective, as it is usually made use of to treat serious infections caused by anaerobic germs.

Nevertheless, there have been some major research studies showing that antibiotics are typically overprescribed by dentists, or recommended inappropriately. For instance, dentists could suggest prescription antibiotics for pulpitis, the infection of the pulp tissue in the tooth which contains the vein, and the most common cause of toothache. They likewise commonly prescribe them for periapical infections or abscesses– these are infections which happen right inside the tooth. These conditions are most ideal dealt with by surgery. Antibiotics might be exactly what the patientrequests, yet may not be in the best interests of the client’s health.

Keep the Dentist Informed

For all dental clients, it is truly important to inform the dentist about medical history and any medications the patient could already be taking. Some pre-existing health conditions, such as heart disease, could possibly imply oral medications need to not be taken, and some already existing medicines could possibly be truly hazardous if combined with other medications. Supplied the complete medical history is known, the majority of oral treatment prescribeds will certainly be fully in the patient’s interests, and will function to providing the very best possible oral wellness.

Dental Care For Seniors

Posted on by

With a population that has more seniors, than in previous generations it is important that dental care be included in their health regimes. The most obvious concern is regular care so that they can prevent or reduce many major concerns. Many seniors have had the advantage of dental insurance for several decades and one may assume that most have taken advantage of the care they were offered. But, there are some conditions that should not be taken for granted and should be avoided.

One aspect of continuing dental care is the role of home care for seniors. A routine that was hopefully applied when they were young, should be maintained. Brushing, flossing and perhaps increased use of moistening mouth rinses and moisturizing tooth pastes are options to consider. The problem of a dry mouth is something that may come with age; but, many medications can cause nocturnal dry mouth as well. A dry mouth may lead to increased decay, as the neutralizing effect of saliva can be reduced or eliminated if a patient has an unusually dry mouth. A pharmacist or your dental office can advise you on what brands to use. Some are available in both toothpaste and rinse form. They offer a pleasant supplement to reduced saliva flow and they can go a long way to avoid and prevent unnecessary cavities.

Whether a senior is at home or in a care facility special attention should be paid to a good before bed routine. It has been reported that poor oral hygiene, in some seniors, can result in the harboring of pneumococcal bacteria which can, of course, lead to pneumonia. It is especially important for care givers to be aware of this as it is often reported that following a serious fall many seniors have developed pneumonia. It is felt that this could be secondary to a lack of ability for them to care for their oral needs.

Many seniors have lost teeth and it is a positive aspect to seek possible replacement teeth to allow for better function and in many cases to avoid the embarrassment of the awkward appearance of missing teeth. In extreme cases complete dentures may be the only advisable treatment. A complete upper denture is actually very comfortable and can offer good function. A lower denture is less positive in that it covers a smaller ridge and mobility is a problem. In some cases people can obtain implants to help stabilize a lower denture.

A partial denture is usually a light weight metal frame that can contain the missing teeth. They are used in conjunction with natural teeth. They are comfortable, functional and in most cases aesthetic looking in appearance. Some patients can do well with crowns or bridges to have a more stable option. As well dental implants are a possibility, they are more costly but many seniors like the option as they have, in many cases, worked long and hard and feel they deserve the best they can obtain.

So seniors have two possible concerns, oral health for tooth maintenance, and good oral health to prevent some of the many bacterial side effects poor oral hygiene can impose. Some side effects can include diabetic complications, including the impeded uptake of insulin. As well poor oral hygiene can result in a bacterial invasion that can cause a multiplicity of general health problems including cardiac and circulatory problems. Some recent reports have spoken of oral bacteria being found in stroke sites.

Dr Michael Pilon