The dentist should know all about your medication

The dentist needs to know if you take medication or wrong thing. Many patients fail to disclose their drug use, although it may prove to be decisive for the outcome of a dental treatment that the dentist is informed. Almost every tenth Dane taking blood thinners to prevent blood clots. But while preventing blood clots can cause another problem - namely, increased tendency to bleeding. The bleeding may occur for example when the patient must have a tooth extracted or conducted a thorough dental cleaning.

It has for years been quite common practice for patients on blood thinners should pause in their medication before they should have made an intervention by a dentist. New studies now show that there is a greater risk of stopping treatment than with the bleeding that might. may occur in the crackdown, said overtandlæge specialties by orthodontic department at Glostrup Hospital Simon Storgård Jensen.

Dentists must instead take precautions when treating patients for anticoagulant therapy. There is substantial and usually relatively easy to stop the bleeding before the patient leaves the clinic. Numerous drugs may also help to increase the risk of bleeding, and therefore it is important to know so you can be extra careful, especially with the use of painkillers and antibiotics, emphasizes Simon Storgård Jensen.

A good advice is: Tell your dentist all. Even if you can not see that the medicines you take, have no relevance to your dental treatment.

The importance of good communication between dentist and patient is turned onto the Dental Association's Symposium, where Simon Storgård Jensen are among the many presenters. Dental Association Symposium will take place on 6th-7th november in Aarhus at the Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel. Slightly more than 1,600 dentists and 600 dental assistants participating in the event that has the medical compromised patients as the main theme.

Elderly patients with dementia suffer from poor oral hygiene

Dementia causes major changes - also in terms of dental health. Research shows that a clear link between dementia and poor oral hygiene. The medicine they are demented, also helps that they get dry mouth, which gives a much greater risk of caries and fungal infections. Dentists, nurses and caregivers should be much more focus on the elderly who can not maintain a normal life.

Birita Ellefsen who is a dentist, assistant professor, Ph.D. and researcher at the School of Dentistry in Copenhagen, has over the last year examined the relationship between dementia and dental health, and the result is striking. Birita Ellefsens study thus shows that the dementia had an average of 7 cavities, even when they were diagnosed with dementia, which says something about the problems that the demented have with their oral hygiene.

It could mean a significant diminution of the quality of life. The consequence of poor oral hygiene may include be pain or discomfort, which may cause difficulty in eating. At worst it may mean that they completely stop eating. It is therefore important that older people with dementia and their families receive the proper guidance on how to relate to dental care when they are diagnosed, emphasizes Birita Ellefsen.

- Dementia patients need a customized dental care. And here dentists the opportunity to make a difference and help to ensure that newly diagnosed dementia patients receive the prevention, care and attention they need. We have a responsibility as health professionals to help cover the care and treatment needs that just in the elderly with dementia, says the invitation from Birita Ellefsen.

Birita Ellefsen is among speakers at the Dental Association's two-day Symposium on 6-7th November. Slightly more than 1,600 dentists and 600 dental assistants participating in the event that has the medical compromised patients as the main theme and takes place in Aarhus, the Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel.

- It is always good to get updated - and expanded - its professional knowledge and skills, and of course also applies to dentists. Both for the individual dentist's challenges and everyday life, but also very much aimed at patients. That dentists retraining and follows up with the latest treatments and developments in dentistry, patients come into the chair for the benefit, says Dental Association President Susanne Andersen.