Patient with bleeding

Question 1

Where to start if patient has bleeding?

Answer 1

Have they had recent extraction or other treatment?

If yes, advise to rinse mouth with warm water, bite on moist cotton and maintain constant pressure for 20 minutes.

If no, have they had recent trauma?

Question 2

What if patient has/has not had recent trauma?

Answer 2

Trauma pathway

No, is bleeding brisk
and persistent? If yes then emergency care.

If not, are they systemically unwell

Question 3

Pt systemically unwell but not bleeding brisk and persistent? What if not unwell?

Answer 3

Emergency care,

If not, non urgent dental assessment.

Question 4

Bleeding has stopped/not stopped after advise of stopping bleeding, what next?

Answer 4

If yes, advise no smoking, alcohol and exercise for 24hrs,

If no, are they on blood thinners.

Question 5

If pt on blood thinners and bleeding not stopping? If not on blood thinners?

Answer 5

Emergency care

If not, then repeat pressure advice. If it still doesn’t stop bleeding, emergency care if it is brink, urgent if not.