When patients come to Absolute Dental we want to provide the best care possible and this involves us finding out about general health at present and also any past medical conditions. We know that certain medical conditions, pills, potions and lotions can affect the mouth but also we need to protect our patients whilst they are under our care.
One aspect of our general health which we need to know about are any heart conditions and also if there is an artificial pacemaker fitted.
What is a pacemaker and what does it do?
An artificial pacemaker is a medical device which maintains an adequate heartbeat by delivering electrical impulses to the heart. They are indicated when the natural impulses are absent or too slow. Some of the more recent types are controlled externally and some even include an inbuilt defibrillator.
There are currently over 500,000 people in the UK fitted with them and may be fitted to patients who experience symptoms of heart failure and a common use is for cardiac arrhythmia ( irregular heartbeat)
Patients who are fitted with a pacemaker should have a Pacemaker Identification card which should list the doctor, hospital, date and type of pacemaker fitted. This helps us to provide safe treatment and a safe environment to deliver this in.
Why should we be informed if you have an artificial pacemaker?
Certain types of treatment and equipment in a dental practice can affect the pacemaker due to their electromagnetic interference. Included in this are ultrasonic scalers and baths, even some head rests for dental chairs which are held in place by powerful magnets.
The problems created by this could include some of the following:
1. Inhibition of pacing - stimulus not provided when needed
2. Asychronous pacing - pacing occurs at a fixed rate regardless of the heart's need for therapy
3. Inappropriate stimuli - shock therapy provided when not needed.
How do we protect you at Absolute Dental?
The want to ensure that you get the best care possible and so we will always ask you about your general health at each visit and once a year will ask you to complete a written medical update for us. This is part of our best practice policy and adheres to guidelines established by our governing body, the General Dental Council, to help protect patients.
We may need your consent to contact your doctor to find out which type of pacemaker you have, as this then gives us the most up to date information if further treatment is to be carried out.
For patients who may require plaque removal by our hygienists, we have sonic scalers which work differently to ultrasonic scalers and may be used on some patients with pacemakers. We can also use hand instruments on all patients which also reduces the risk and provides peace of mind if a patient is unsure of which type of pacemaker is fitted.
We conform to the latest cross infection guidelines and do not use ultrasonic baths in the practice at all.
We find out about the latest policies about your health through continuing professional development and hope this explains why we ask about your general health, providing you with the best care possible at Absolute Dental.
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