“Why did you take my blood pressure?” This is a common question by patients at Sekhon Dental – Dentist Agoura Hills when we take their blood pressure. If you have also been wondering the same, we’ve explained everything in this article for you. At Sekhon Dental – Dentist Agoura Hills, our patients’ well-being is our top-most priority. There is a strong correlation between dental and overall well-being. That’s also why we require our patients to fill out medical history.
Oral Hygiene and Overall Well-being
Many people seem to ignore their dental care not realizing that your oral care also impacts your overall well-being.
Research has shown that gum disease is linked to numerous diseases like diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and respiratory disease. Researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry found that people with gum disease were three times as likely to have a stroke and twice likely to die from a heart attack.
Periodontal disease bacteria have been seen to cause neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, and senile plaque formation in mice, similar to AD in humans.
Blood Pressure and Dental Care
Increased Bleeding
Research shows that people with high blood pressure are more susceptible to nosebleed, and may also lead to bleeding during orthodontic or general dental procedures like extraction. So, we may take your blood pressure to ensure it is not too high and you do not experience excessive bleeding during the treatment.
Anesthesia
Anesthesia is an important element of many dental procedures, but it does not share a good relationship with high blood pressure. A high blood pressure can lead to difficulty with numbing the area with a local anesthetic. At the same time, some anesthetics have epinephrine that might constrict the blood vessels and elevate blood pressure. Eventually, it increases the chances of bleeding during dental procedures.
Gum Thickening
Patients who take antihypertensive medicines are more susceptible to the overgrowth of gums. Overgrown gums make it difficult for dentists to perform dental cleaning. It leads to gingivitis and impact your jaw’s structure over time, resulting in teeth loss.
Life-saving
Regular blood pressure screenings at Sekhon Dental – Dentist Agoura Hills can help you prevent life-threatening situations like stroke and heart diseases that may result from continuous elevated blood pressure.
Stress can Increase Blood Pressure
Periodontic procedures can be quite draining and many people get anxious on the thought of invasive treatments. Stress and anxiety can raise blood pressure, and especially bad for people with hypertension. Blood pressure measurement before the procedure enables the dentist to check and manage the blood pressure to avoid any worse-case scenario.
Blood Pressure & Dental Care
The Hypertension Journal from the American Heart Association mentions that people neglecting their dental care are more likely to experience high blood pressure. Furthermore, ADA recommends postponing treatment for patients with blood pressure levels as low as 160/100 mmHg for elective oral healthcare and 180/110 mmHg for emergency dental treatment.
Blood Pressure Management during Dental Treatment
While most dentists do not treat patients with high blood pressure, some may give you an anti-anxiety medication to alleviate stress and avoid complications. If you take antihypertensive medication, get in touch with Dr. Sekhon at Sekhon Dental – Dentist Agoura Hills to discuss the course of your treatment.