A patient’s health history is important because it is a key factor in diagnosing the diseases in time, leading to positive outcomes.
You must be thinking about why dentists ask for medical histories before making final decisions? What will be the impact of your overall health on dental procedures? Like other health conditions, medical histories are also important for dental care. Your detailed medical history ensures the success of dental procedures. If your dentist remains unaware of your medical history, there could be more chances for allergies and other complications.
At Sekhon Dental, we take your overall health very seriously. You can find our Health History form here.
We never share any information with anyone without your explicit consent!
What is your Health or Medical History?
According to the National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer, health history is a record of information about the patient. It includes all the information related to the patient’s health, such as diseases, accidents, allergies, illnesses, hospitalizations, surgeries, and the reports of physical examinations, tests, and screenings.
Why is your Health History important to us?
Your general health and oral health are interlinked. It is very important to provide your accurate health history to your dentist as it will help them to understand the condition of your dental problems better. It helps your dentist to decide the treatment pattern for effective results and better oral health.
We’re going to discuss some examples that will show the importance of medical history for dental procedures.
Diabetes
If you have diabetes and are planning to take any dental treatment, you should know that diabetic patients are more susceptible to periodontal diseases. The healing time for such patients is longer, and they are at higher risk of developing infections. A right combination of treatment with medications is necessary to control post-treatment complications in diabetics. It can only be done if your dentist is aware of your medical history.
Respiratory Illness
Similarly, if you’re suffering from respiratory diseases, your dentist cannot opt for standard anesthetic methods. Sedation methods are decided according to your pre-existing health issues. Your medical history helps your dentist to understand and determine what type of sedation is safe for you.
Drug Interactions
Moreover, people with certain illnesses are taking multiple medications. Thus, there are more chances for drug interactions. Your dentist must know your detailed medical history before prescribing any medications to avoid drug interactions or complications.
How often should the Medical History be updated?
We should be notified as soon as there is a change in your health condition or in prescribed medication. If there are no changes, we request for an updated medical history annually.
Take away
To avoid all sorts of health-related issues, consultation with your dentist is crucial as this secures your dental treatment. The dental staff must have an up-to-date list of any medications you are taking to verify that the treatment they recommend is safe. For example, suppose you take warfarin, which thins the blood. In that case, you may require a blood test before extractions or invasive dental treatments to assess your INR level and guarantee that you will be able to stop the bleeding after the surgery. So, a proper consultation with complete medical history is essential for a dental procedure.