The dental status of cardiac patients

Abstract

Fifty patients, all with severe heart disease, were questioned about their past medical and dental history, and examined, clinically and radiographically, to ascertain their dental status. Only I4 patients were considered to be dentally fit, 7 of whom were edentulous. Thirty-nine patients sought dental treatment for the relief of pain alone, and their dental condition was far from satisfactory. Less than one-quarter of the patients included in this study had been warned of the needfor maintenance of a high degree of dentalfitness andprophylactic measures before treatment. Forty-three had never had a medical history taken before dental treatment was performed. These findings indicate that there is room for improvement in the provision of dental care for cardiac patients, and recommendations are made as to how this might be achieved.