Hi everyone-I am due to have CABG July/August. I have a routing check up at dentist this month. I have read somewhere of a link between teeth/gums and heart disease.
What are the risks, if any? Is there any chance of dental treatment delaying the heart operation?
Thanks
there was a post along these lines a few weeks ago, so if you don’t get the response you need you might try and search for the posts. If I remember correctly …….!
But I feel that the people who are most knowledgeable about this are dentists, so do question yours closely when you see him/her.
Hello 
I had to have the dental check before my Bypass operation
I think it is something to do with if you had any kind of infection it could get in your blood stream when they are doing the op which can be dangerous so it is important to get the check up done and when you phone the dentist if you say why you need a check up asp they should get you in quick as they know it is important or mine did to
It would delay the op if you did not get the check up or any treatment done asp if needed but usually most of us pass the dental check and then we are ready to go
Good Luck and let us know how you get on x
Because getting to speak to the cardiology team is like knitting fog! LOL. I have appointments in 3 hospitals and never know who is doing what to me next!
Hello
Never knew you could knit fog sounds hard to do 
Sounds like a lucky dip 3 hospitals never knowing who is doing what next I think this new system though is becoming the normal for so many
Hope you are having a nice day x
You are always so kind and so helpful. Knowledgeable too. I look forward to seeing your replies to different people as I usually learn something new. ❤️❤️❤️
Why not check with the actual cardiology team who will be carrying out your procedure? Pre procedure restrictions do vary from team to team as far as I can tell, even down to the mundane like taking aspirin, and just because someone in here has found something that may apply to your circumstances doesn't necessarily mean it will apply to you.
Hi, you are correct as I had delayed surgery for 2 weeks because of a infected tooth which had to be extracted and antibiotics to clear it up
Harefield sent my dentist a form to complete that stated I had a recent check up and my teeth/gums were healthy.
I had a tooth pulled out yesterday. I filled in the forms as it was a NHS emergency appointment. Listed all the drugs I am on and listed I have A Fib. Dentist was well switched on. It wasn’t a pleasant experience and the first dentist had to get a colleague in to help. It was a big molar and wasn’t shifting. Part way through I could feel pain and the second gave me another injection and said which one and mentioned to the first that one type has adrenaline in and I couldn’t have that. Makes sense as it could set my heart going rapid. They even put an oximeter on my finger, I did have a slightly raise pulse but only to 117. To be honest I was surprised it didn’t go higher. I am a coward when it comes to the dentist and it was a stressful extraction.
Thankfully it was caught before an abscess took a hold. You are right in thinking about the risk and it’s one of the reasons they usually check teeth before heart ops. If unlike me you go to the dentist regularly I doubt you have much to worry about.
If you need dental treatment, it should be done before your op, because of the risk of infection spreading to your heart. I fear this may have been one of the factors behind my heart problems.
you should be taking 2mg of antibiotics one hour before any dental treatment. Harefield gave me a letter stating you should take 2mg of amoxicillin one hour before. Your dentist should be aware of this and you should tell them what medications you are taking. The dentist should be able to give you a prescription for the antibiotics.
Morning. My husband needed a CABG and was asked to have a dental check up. This found he had extensive gum disease and therefore needed all his teeth removed before he could have the operation. He said it was a small price to pay to enable him to have a life saving operation. Good luck with your surgery.
Thanks for posting this. I am now wondering if I should change my dentist. He has not mentioned the link between gum disease and heart health when discussing my options for my tooth which has an abscess under it. I went for the 'leave it alone and see what happens' option because it doesn't cause any toothache etc. To be fair I didn't have the AF diagnosis when I saw him in December. But as the echocardiogram last week showed mild valve damage and thicker than normal heart I think I'd better look at the other options.
when I was in hospital they wanted me to confirm my dental history, if I hadn’t had a check up in the previous 6 months they were going to delay me until I had. That would , in my case, have been done in hospital.
I had a check up booked for 4 weeks post op and they confirmed that I could attend that with no additional precautions or a need for antibiotics.
Hi
I just had OHS and I had to have my dentist sign a form. Prior to the surgery that my teeth are all ok. Otherwise the surgery could be delayed.
Yes, I'm on the "Urgent" waiting list for open heart surgery and I have to provide a letter from my dentist to prove all dental treatment has been successfully completed. It hasn't been yet, but soon will be, and the dentist was well aware of the requirement when I asked him.
yes, as above. I was told to ensure that while on waiting list I had teeth checked every 6 months. Didn’t know that I would need three dental checks before appointment arrived. Made my dentist aware. Didn’t need any treatment but consultant’s registrar told me at my pre-op (originally 9 months before surgery) to contact them if needed treatment but not to have scale and polish. I realise not all consultants will give the same advice.
Post-surgery I have the card that tells dentist I need antibiotics if I need treatment. Good luck!
I had a 4 day delay for my op, due to waiting for the NHS dentist based at the hospital I was in! The dentist is in another building next to the main hospital here, but as no internal corridor, I had to go by hospital transport, for the entire 150m journey!
On the day I was due to go, some careless person crashed their car on the local troublesome dual carriageway. This caused 2 ambulances to go to the incident and so my transport got dropped last minute and I had to wait another 4 days for a space to see dentist!
Luckily he said my teeth were ok(ISH) and no infection so no need for pre op treatment! I do need a root canal done, and have joined a private dental Bupa plan via work to get done. This will be post ICD procedure sometime...but as no pain I can wait!
Like many I was totally unaware of any links between teeth and heart! Ask around, I guarantee most people are oblivious to it!
Like many I was totally unaware of any links between teeth and heart! Ask around, I guarantee most people are oblivious to it!
Yes -yet most of us go to the dentist - I have been to 2 dentists recently and neither mentioned any issues around leaving my tooth with an underlying infection and heart disease. I wish they had. They were happy to present a £2 k estimation for 3 fillings and a root canal! I just couldn't afford that.
My point is that I think dentists should educate us about the risks of heart disease linked to gum disease
I had double heart valve replacement and was advised by the hospital to have antibiotics prior to any dental treatment. My GP is aware of this and my dentist always asks prior to treatment whether I have taken them.
simple answers:- a check up is safe, invasive dental procedures need antiobotic cover - tell your dentist about your heart condition and any medication you take, the dentist should know what needs to be done
- yes, there are links between dental/gum infections and heart health - an additional reason for maintaining good oral hygiene throughout your life
I needed a check-up before my ASD repair, and if i remember correctly, any treatment needed to be complete at least 10 days pre op. I'd phone your dentist and tell them that you are due for heart surgery and they may get you an earlier appt. There is a whole ream of NICE guidance re antibiotics post heart surgery - I know as my consultant went through it at my last check-up to see if I needed AB's for dental work. They decided I didn't!
Hi there, I had CABGx2 in February and, similar to you, a check up and sum dental work in January. Speaking to the dentist her view was that a check up was advised to ensure everything is ok - more about loose fillings, caps or similar being dislodged by the various tubes during surgery.
Speaking with my anaesthetist before the op their concerns matched the dentist. So my experience is better get the work done before surgery.
I have a pacemaker and a tissue aortic valve replacement. I use a prescription toothpaste ( through dentist) and recently had to have a large top side tooth removed as c rays showed it to be dead and diseased under the gum even though very little pain. That’s when the fun began. The dentist said I needed to take antibiotics prior to treatment. As my last cardiologist had discharged me to local care it took me 3 months to get these - 6 x 500 gm tablets to be taken as one dose one hour before surgery. At this stage I was referred on to a specialist dentist who offered private treatment or a projected 3 month wait for NHS treatment. As I had paid for all consultations and tests prior to my excellent NHS valve and pacemaker procedures and paid in full for a hip replacement funds were to say the least stretched - so I waited for NHS treatment. Apparently the concern was both my pacemaker and concern that removing a tooth root could leave a passage directly to mr sinus. On the day all went well the tooth was cut from the roots which were extracted separately - no passage was found and my gum was packed and stitched.
I went home with another 18 x 600 gm of antibiotic to take 3 a day spaced
final outcome good but an administrative nightmare to get there !
Best wishes PLH
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