Visiting the dentist after open heart surgery

Hello,

My kid had an open heart surgery for ASD repair from 2 weeks, I heard earlier that after open heart surgery we need to take care and if she is going to visit the dentist she needs to take antibiotic before the visit. Is this true?

She is currently having blood pressure medication but no antibiotic or aspirin, so is it really needed? No external patchs were used for the closure, only membrane from the ones around the heart.

Appreciate your feedback

Br

[caregiver222]

There are many blood vessels above the teeth that connect with the bloodstream, and in certain dental procedures bacterial debri may enter the circulatory system. Post-surgery (for at least six weeks), the healing sutures and cuts are more susceptible to infection by traveling bacteria.

This, in any cardiac surgery, an antibiotic is desired until the trauma and wounds have completely healed  if there is any chance of pathogenic bacteria entering the bloodstream.

[CFS56]

You need to talk to either her cardiologist or the surgeon.  Some times after surgery you need prophylactic antibiotics before dental work, sometimes not.  Only her doctor can tell you that.