You’re probably thinking, “what does high blood pressure have to do with dental health?” As May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month, we wanted to take the time to educate our awesome patients about the importance of dental health in relation to cardiovascular diseases. We take pride in being one of the best dentists in Cary, IL and want to help our patients look and feel their best!
Keep Track of Medications
Did you know that some drugs that treat high blood pressure can also cause dry mouth or an altered sense of taste in your mouth? Other medications make going to the dentists’ office a scary experience, as they increase your chance of fainting when you go from laying down in the chair to standing up too quickly; this is called orthostatic hypotension.
Another side effect of some high blood pressure medications is gum overgrowth, including calcium channel blockers. Depending on the severity, surgery may be necessary to return gums to a normal, healthy state. Be aware that side effects of medications can start within a month of beginning the medications, so it’s important to stay on top of monitoring side effects.
Tell Us!
An important step in ensuring your high blood pressure doesn’t play a role in your dental health is keeping us informed about your medications and how high your blood pressure is. Once you inform us that you have high blood pressure, we will take it multiple times to establish a baseline.
Cary Dental Associates prides itself on being one of the best dentists in Cary, Il, as we are dedicated not only to our patients’ oral health but their wellbeing! If you have questions about high blood pressure and dental health, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
Source: Colgate
