Many patients come into the dental office for “routine” care only to be told they need an antibiotic as a premedication due to a medical condition or a medical procedure. Over the years, the regimen has been streamlined and is generally only administered an hour prior to the dental appointment. Also, the list of medical conditions and procedures requiring the premedication has shortened.
You might wonder why the antibiotic premedication is warranted. Whenever bacteria is stirred up, it will travel through the blood stream and other body systems to any weak areas in the body; thus creating a new site of infection or aggravating an existing site. The guidelines that are set up after extensive research is completed by groups such as the American Heart Association and the American Orthopedic Association.
To find out if you need an antibiotic premedication prior to your dental appointment, call you primary care physician, your cardiologist, or your surgeon.