Medical conditions that affect trt planning

Question 1

Warfarin users

Answer 1

is an anticoagulant - a medicine that stops blood from clotting. Anticoagulants medicines are most commonly prescribed for people who have had a condition caused by a blood clot or are at risk of developing one

Question 2

A pt would require blood test

Answer 2

prior to any trt which will cause bleeding to ensure they have adequate clotting levels. The conditions in which warfarin may be taken include:

• deep vein thrombosis (clots in veins of legs)
• pulmonary embolism (clot in lungs)
• atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rate)
• pts with replacement or mechanical heart valve

Question 3

Pregnancy

Answer 3

if pt presents as being pregnant then trt may have to be altered or halted. Trts that cannot go ahead during pregnancy include x-rays + trts involving amalgam

Question 4

Pacemaker

Answer 4

pts need to be careful when attending for scale + polish because the older style machines can interfere with the pacemaker. it is generally safer to carry out hand scale

Question 5

Cancer

Answer 5

pts receiving trt for cancer can only receive dental trt at certain times in their cancer trt cycle- because pts are at higher risk of bleeding + infection. trt must be planned with pt’s oncologist

Question 6

Herpes simplex

Answer 6

if pt presents with an outbreak of herpes, this is high infectious in early stages + pts trt must be rebooked until infection has cleared

Question 7

Osteroporosis

Answer 7

trt must take into consideration the position of pt can take in dental chair, as well as possibility of jaw fracture during trt - may need referral to specialist

Question 8

Chicken pox

Answer 8

pts presenting with this condition must have trt delayed as this is highly infectious condition in its early stages

Question 9

Oral thrush

Answer 9

pts would usually be rebooked for once condition has cleared up, however for this to happen to pt would attend appt + usually receive an antifungal prescription to treat this condition