Darren Gardner DDS- Provo Dentist
Many people don't realize the importance of having a dental exam prior to major surgery, radiation treatment of the head and neck, or chemotherapy. In addition, there are still some physicians who neglect to remind their patients to see their dentist before having surgery. Why is seeing the dentist important? The reason is that failure to treat dental disease prior to surgery can affect the success of the surgery and can cause complications that could have been prevented.
Joint Replacement
One example is joint replacement surgery. If there is dental infection or gum disease, the bacteria count in the blood rises. Essentially, the bacteria from the mouth travels through the blood to the surgical site. The bacteria can then cause infection that prevents proper healing. If the artificial joint becomes infected, the surgery will have to be redone.
Heart Surgery
Heart surgery is another surgery where dental infections can affect the outcome. Most cardiologists recommend having a dental exam and having any necessary treatment completed prior to surgery. This prevents life-threatening infection at the site of surgery.
Radiation to the Head and Neck and Chemotherapy
Dental exams prior to radiation therapy of the head and neck is also extremely important. All dental treatment should be completed before radiation therapy to prevent rapid deterioration of your teeth and to prevent osteoradionecrosis (bone death after radiation), a potentially debilitating disease of the jaw bone that occurs primarily when teeth are extracted after radiation therapy has begun. Radiation therapy damages the jaw bone's ability to heal and it actually begins to die instead. It is difficult to manage and can result in disfigurement when large portions of dead jaw bone must be surgically removed.
Both radiation therapy and chemotherapy weaken the body's immune system. It is essential that the mouth be in the healthiest condition possible so the rest of the body isn't affected by poor oral health or oral inflammation.
Radiation therapy also increases your risk for cavities. Decay can develop very rapidly and is often widespread. Decay that wasn't treated prior to radiation will grow at a faster rate and leads to rampant decay. Using daily fluoride and a saliva substitue rinse will minimize decay. For more information, see http://oralcancerfoundation.org/dental/dental-complications.htm
I should also emphasize that after major surgery, it is more difficult to care for your teeth. I often see patients (who did not see me before their surgery) after they have gone through a long recovery. Frequently, I find major problems because their home care understandably fell by the wayside. Problems that were there before surgery will deteriorate more rapidly. This is another important reason to have your mouth in it's best health prior to surgery.
The Dental Exam
At the pre-surgical dental visit, we will evaluate your mouth for infection and any areas that could become infected during the healing process after surgery. We will make a plan to restore all decayed teeth or potential problems and recommend preventive measures that will minimize dental problems in the future.
If you have any questions whether it is necessary for you to have a dental exam prior to your surgery, ask your surgeon what he recommends.