Why Does the Dentist Take Your Blood Pressure?

When our patients sit down for dental procedures like dental fillings or crowns, one of the first things we do is take their blood pressure. Have you ever thought about why all this attention is for blood pressure? Read along to get answers about why your Texas dentist checks your blood pressure during your dental appointment.

• Blood pressure can affect dental works: Patients can develop anxiety and stress while undergoing dental procedures, leading to increased blood pressure. So, if a patient already has issues with high blood pressure (hypertension), any situation that might lead to a further increase in the blood pressure could cause severe health issues or emergencies like a stroke. When we take our patients' blood pressure as they sit in our dental chair, we will get an insight into their health and understand any prehypertensive or hypertensive condition that requires the examination and treatment of a physician. 
• Local anesthesia can affect blood pressure: Before we start any comprehensive dental procedures, the Texas dentist administers local anesthesia to the patients to help patients relieve discomfort and anxiety. Prior to this, we monitor our patient's blood pressure and exercise extra caution during procedures, as some anesthetics may raise both the blood pressure and pulse. This happens because of the presence of epinephrine, an additive that helps prolong the numbing effect. So, if the Texas dentist diagnoses that the patient has high blood pressure, we may adjust the anesthesia drugs accordingly.
• Identifying blood pressure issues at the earliest could save the patient's life: Hypertension or chronic high blood pressure is the primary cause of life-threatening cardiovascular diseases (CVD). A blood pressure check can indicate this problem. That's why blood pressure screenings are on the rise in different healthcare settings, including dental offices, the place where patients regularly visit for cleanings and checkups. Identifying the condition at the earliest is often the first step to managing it and avoiding conditions like cardiovascular disease, dementia, kidney damage, or diabetes.

During a study conducted by the Journal of the American Dental Association, a group of dental patients with no previous risk factors of CVD and had not seen a doctor in the past twelve months had their blood pressure screened at their dental visits to discover that 17% of them had unidentified high blood pressure and were at risk for a cardiovascular emergency.

At South Friendswood Dental, we check our patients' blood pressure, besides providing other dental services to ensure that their oral and overall health is taken seriously. 

Call us at (281) 482-7731 or book an appointment online to schedule a consultation with Dr. Mahabir, DDS, or Dr. Gandhi, DMD at South Friendswood Dental.