antibiotics at the dentist

Just found this updated list of who needs antibiotics before dental procedures. Transplants, valve replacements, shunts are still on the list that DO need it, most other conditions have been removed from the list and no longer need to pretreat.
http://www.ada.org/public/topics/antibiotics.asp

4 Comments

Raises Questions

by ElectricFrank - 2009-06-26 02:06:42

This is just another case that raises questions about the various meds and procedures that are recommended with warnings about the grave outcomes if we don't follow them. I have had conflicts with dentists for years about my suspected Rheumatic Fever as a 10 year old. I have steadfastly refused to take antibiotics for dental procedures. Now it turns out it was not only unnecessary, but also put me at a greater risk of being unresponsive to antibiotics when needed.

Medicine has done tonsillectomies, ear drainage canals, unnecessary appendectomies, etc. all backed by "research".

We are now being subjected to the same warnings about not taking statins, BP lowering meds, unnecessary pacemakers, and I could go on. As in the past we are told that the current research is better than in the past. This is likely true, but is it good enough?

On this forum I read the list of meds that some list, and in many cases they simply don't make sense and are likely causing many of the symptoms the person is experiencing. I would start with blood thinners for afib. It is only my sense of it, but I predict that one day that will be found to be ineffective in reducing the overall risk of a stroke.

After my wifes stroke in 1999, I refused to let them give her Dilantin as a guard against seizure, when she had shown no signs of them. Now the FDA has a warning out that injectible Dilantan can cause a condition called Blue Hand where is destroys tissue in the hand and fingers near the injection site. It occurs in nearly 10% of the cases and can result in a need for amputation of the affected hand. At the time I chose to take a chance on a seizure with the option to use the Dilantin if they occurred, which they never did.

I don't know the answer to the problem, but we need to be aware that it exists.

frank

drugs

by Tracey_E - 2009-06-26 03:06:38

Frank, I think you and I are both of the less-is-best school of pill popping. :o) I tried refusing the antibiotics before dental treatments, the dentist refused to clean my teeth! So next appt I lied and told him I took it an hour before. My body, my choice.

Everything has other effects on our bodies, and they haven't even begun to figure it all out yet. Newer research is probably better, but still just the tip of the iceberg of knowledge. They tout the newest wonderdrug breezing over the mile long list of side effects, then a few years later they decide it's too dangerous and has to come off the market. Drug companies have way too much influence over our doctors and they get caught up in throwing a prescription at the problem rather than fixing the cause, then they give you more meds for the side effects of your meds. I know that sometimes they're unavoidable and do good, but without a darned good reason, my doctors all know I won't take anything.

yep

by Tracey_E - 2009-06-27 05:06:11

and I'm ok with that :o)

Drugs

by ElectricFrank - 2009-06-27 12:06:05

We don't help their score with the drub salesmen!

You know you're wired when...

You’re officially battery-operated.

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