Your dentist may prescribe medications to fight certain oral diseases or to
prevent infections after surgical procedures such as tooth extractions and gum
surgery. Sometimes certain drugs are given prior to the dental procedure to
help fight infections or to control existing medical conditions such as heart
murmurs and valve problems. Your dentist will discuss any medications you may
need to take, when to take them, and why you need to take them.
Questions to Ask Your Dentist About Your Medication
What is the name of the medication?
Why do I need to take it?
How often should I take it?
What time of day should I take it?
Should I take it on an empty stomach or with meals?
Where should I store the medication?
What should I do if I forget to take a dose?
How long should I expect to take the medication?
How will I know it is working?
What common side effects should I expect?
Are there any rare, but serious side effects to watch for?
Will the medication interfere with driving, working or other activities?
Does the medication interact with any foods, alcohol or other beverages, or other medications, vitamins, supplements, over-the-counter products, herbal products, or eye drops?
Review the medication information sheet that comes with each prescription.
Write down any side effects you experience and call your dentist to discuss
them. Update and review your history every time you see your dentist.
Facts to Tell Your Dentist About Yourself
If you are taking any other medications, supplements, vitamins, herbal products, over-the-counter products, eye drops, or prescription skin lotions.
If you are allergic to any medications.
If you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant.
If you have problems taking any medications.
If you have any health-related problems or medical conditions, especially any serious conditions that affect your body's major organs -- the kidneys, lungs, heart or liver.
Toothache usually refers to pain around the teeth or jaws. In most instances, toothaches are caused by tooth or jaw problems, such as a dental cavity, a cracked tooth, an exposed tooth root, gum disease, disease of the jaw joint (TMJ), or spasms of the muscles used for chewing. A toothache can also be caused by a problem that does not originate from a tooth or the jaw, like diseases of the heart (angina or heart attack), ear infections, and sinus infections. A thorough oral examination, which includes dental X-rays, can help determine the cause.
Travelers should prepare for their trip by visiting their physician to get the proper vaccinations and obtain the necessary medication if they have a medical condition or chronic disease. Diseases that travelers may pick up from contaminated water or food, insect or animal bites, or from other people include malaria, meningococcal meningitis, yellow fever, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, polio, and cholera.
Taking prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs or supplements should be discussed with your doctor. There are some medications that have been found to cause no problems in pregnancy, however, medications such as Accutane for acne, should never be taken during pregnancy.
Why should travelers see a physician before they leave
on a trip?
Travelers should see a physician before leaving for a trip if
they are going
to developing countries,
they are visiting sites that are not on the usual tourist routes or traveling to high altitudes,
they have
chronic diseases that could be affected by travel,
they are visiting countries that require vaccinations before they allow travelers to enter the country.
The goal of a pre-travel medical evaluation is to help travelers protect themselves against
(1) common diseases that may be mild but that will disrupt their trip, and (2) less common diseases that may be serious or even fatal. All travelers need to be up to date on routine vaccines they would normally get if they were not traveling. For example, an annual influenza vaccination (flu shot) is recommended if traveling during influenza season. Travelers should also be up to date on te...
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