Have you ever been asked to take antibiotics before your appointment? The first thing we should do as healthcare providers is to look at the patient’s medical history. When people take antibiotics before appointments, it is called pre-medication. Antibiotics reduce the risk of Infective Endocarditis. Infective Endocarditis is inflammation of the inner tissue of the heart caused by bacteria.
The two main conditions that people have to pre-medicate for are certain heart conditions and artificial joints. An example of artificial joints would be a knee replacement. One of the heart conditions to premed for would be someone who has had open heart surgery. The American Heart Association has information for people who need to take antibiotics before dental procedures.
What happens if a patient forgets to take the antibiotic before they arrive at the dentist office? If a patient does not pre-medicate one hour before the appointment, it is recommended that they take the antibiotic no later than two hours after the dental appointment.
If you have a heart condition or artificial joint, you should check with your primary care physician or cardiologist to see if pre-medication is necessary.