Many patients wonder – “why do I need to update my medical history and medication list at my dental office?”  Your physical health, including current and past, are closely tied to your dental history. There are many scientific correlations between your oral health and your medical health, especially as we age.  

Certain medications greatly affect your oral health by causing side effects quite noticeable to the patient such as dry mouth, bleeding gums, or bad breath. For example, blood thinners may cause more bleeding in your gums when you floss and brush at home or during your routine dental cleaning.  By providing a medication list with specific names, we are able to recommend specific products or techniques that will help you combat these symptoms at home.

Your clinician can also determine how dental procedures may affect you based on your medical history and medication list. For example – certain medications, for pre-existing or current conditions, can interact differently with local anesthetics used in dental procedures. This also explains why your dental provider will monitor your blood pressure before an appointment begins.

By updating your medical history and medication list periodically, we are able provide you with a comfortable dental experience and treat you safely.