Dental Work vs. Heart

[cindy707]

More than anything i just wanted to post what happened this morning after the posts a couple of weeks ago with having dental work done and issues w. irregularities of the heart.  Woke up this morning out of the blue w. the L side of my face swollen the size of a baseball from a molar that had cracked that i wasn't aware of.  I could feel my heartbeating in my face, panicked and ran to the dentist who said they couldn't touch the tooth until it wasn't "hot" anymore.  I asked him about my heart and worries about the mitral valve prolapse among other things and he said that w. MVP we all still have to have mega doses of antibiotics w. any heart issues because the first place the bacteria runs to is the weak area of our bodies and those w. MVP that would be one of the first places it goes to.  So he loaded me up with a mega dose and when i go next Wed. to get (another!) root canal i definately have to pre medicate X4 an hour before the root canal and an hour after because he said once they open up the area the bacteria is going to flush thru my system.  So i guess that answers the posts from a couple of weeks ago about this...i am hating life right now, feel like one of the pitchers for the San Francisco Giants with "chew" in my cheek...just thought that i would share just in case any other members have to have any dental work done and what to bring up w. the dentist.  Man o man after investing all of the money i have in my mouth i think i could have bought a new car by now...hope you all have a great evening and for me...back to bed w. the ice pack and amoxicillin.....

[chicky2001]

Oh wow, I just saw this thread.  I haven't been to the board for a while.  You poor thing.  I hope you feel better soon.  How painful this must be.  I had to take antibiotics before dental work after my hip transplants.  I see nothing wrong with taking them all the time before the dentist with the amount of bacteria in the mouth.  I still ask my primary for antibiotics before the dentist.  Sure doesn't hurt anything.  Better safe than sorry.

Good luck!!!

[cindy707]

OMG don't make me laugh like this it hurts....and today i definately do look like a squirrel...

[CFS56]

Oh no, you poor thing!  I can certainly sympathize, I had a tooth abcess on me a couple of years ago and it was horribly painful.  I hate taking antibiotics but it is certainly better to be safe.  And you would end up with a bunch more if you got endocarditis.  I'll be thinking about you Wednesday, wishing you much good luck.  And maybe tomorrow you will have downgraded to a squirrel (I guess that's down from a chipmunk!)

[cindy707]

Jerry:  Thanks so much for the vote of confidence..i was told too that the practices have changed and maybe they have but i haven't LOL...i'm keeping w. the pre meds....just another safety net...thank goodness today i only look like a chipmunk...i wish these antibiotics would kick in a little faster and take the swelling down....

Jondsam:  Thanks for the good lucks....it is working s-l-o-w-l-y

[Jerry_NJ]

My cardiologist has had me take 2 grams (4X500mg) of amoxicillin before any dental work, I think even before cleaning.   This started following my open heart surgery to repair my mitral valve.  

I had a visit with my primary care nurse practitioner on another matter and when the subject of an antibiotic came up in connection with my seeing her she mentioned that there has been a change in practice and I should check with my cardiologist before assuming I will continue to need an antibiotic before "minor" dental procedures.  I don't consider a root canal a minor procedure and wish you the best here and in the future...you have more than "paid you dues" for being alive.  

[jondsam]

You absolutely almost never need to take a antibiotic before the dentist unless you have some serious heart problems.  

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/68409.php

[jondsam]

Good luck!!!!!!!!!

[cindy707]

Thanks so much for your post is_something_wrong.....i will definately keep an eye out on this....i just wish the swelling would go down its making me crazy.....can you do me a favor can you pretty much cover our site for a couple of days till i get past this?  It would be much appreciate....thanks for the reassurances tho......

[is_something_wrong]

Dear Cindy,

Hope I didn't scare you too much with the endocarditis answer to a post in the Angina forum!

It's true that if you have MVP or any other heart valve disease, your dentist should prescribe antibiotics (it's in fact one of the reasons why dentists are almost equal to MD's when prescribing meds).

Endocarditis is still a really unlikely consequence from dental work, but if you get chest pain or any other "changes" in your heart/heart rhythm, you should see a doctor ASAP. Endocarditis is really important to treat as soon as you can.

Best wishes to you :)