Toronto, Canada, September 16, 2015 — Princeview Dental (www.PrinceviewDental.com), a dedicated family dental practice in Etobicoke, is alerting dental patients about the importance of providing their dentists with an updated medication profile to avoid adverse drug interactions.
The importance of patient-dentist communication concerning medication disclosure was highlighted in a recent study published in the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association (JCDA). According to the study, roughly two-thirds of dental patients are taking some form of prescription, over-the-counter medicine or vitamin supplement. Study authors suggest that it is essential patients give this information to their dental practitioners.
(Source: “Fitzgerald, J., et al., “Outpatient Medication Use and Implications for Dental Care: Guidance for Contemporary Dental Practice,” Journal of the Canadian Dental Association web site, July 7, 2015; http://www.jcda.ca/article/f10/.)
“There is a very real risk that an adverse drug interaction can occur if patients aren't properly self-reporting their medications,” says Dr. Janice Mummery, founder of Princeview Dental. “A number of different drugs can be prescribed at a dental office. This could potentially be problematic if a dental practitioner doesn’t have the same access to the patient’s health records that is present in a medical office or hospital.”
According to Dr. Mummery, one of the common vasoconstrictor drugs used in oral surgery can potentially cause a hypertensive episode when it interacts with certain antidepressants. Similarly, anyone who is taking drugs that affects their blood pressure, even something as seemingly innocent as “Aspirin”, could experience unexpected excessive bleeding.
“These are avoidable events provided the patient self-reports accurately. Even if it doesn't seem relevant, it should be mentioned,” Dr. Mummery emphasizes. “Some medications have side effects, like dry mouth. For a dentist, that is important information to have since knowledge of a patient's oral environment is necessary for proper duty of care.”
Princeview Dental has been a fixture of the Kingsway area in Etobicoke for over 20 years and is a leading provider of dedicated family dental services. Visit the Princeview Dental web site at https://www.princeviewdental.com to book an appointment or call Princeview Dental at 416-231-4562.
