What You Must Tell Your Oral Surgeon Prior To Surgery

If an oral surgical procedure at Community Dental Group has been recommended, it is highly important that you consult with your dentist and oral surgeon prior to the procedure. Since the goal is for us to make your surgery as pleasant and safe as possible, it is essential that these professionals know certain information about you. The following is a list of things that are vital to experiencing a healthy and safe outcome where any oral surgery is concerned.

• All medications you are currently taking – whether you are taking herbal supplements, OTC medications, prescription drugs, or vitamins (or a combination of any of these), your oral surgeon needs to know about them as some can adversely interact with your anesthesia.
• Allergies – whether you have allergic reactions to certain foods or medications as well as those causing irritations to the skin, these issues should be included in your consultation with the dentist and the oral surgeon.
• Current fever or illness – in the days prior to your oral surgery, you should report any fever or illness that you may be experiencing to the dentist and oral surgeon. This could help them determine whether or not to proceed with your procedure. Since fever is typically an indication of some type of infection, it is vital that you report this ASAP.
• Drinking alcohol – be candid about your alcohol intake and the amount that you typically consume during the day. If you are a heavy drinker, you might be prone to anything from mild tremors to full-blown seizures when you are going through withdrawals. Your oral surgeon can prescribe certain medications in order to relieve your symptoms and prevent more serious complications from occurring.
• Illicit use of drugs – although this may not be the easiest thing to talk about, DO IT! Our oral surgeons need to know about this because of how it can alter the efficacy of prescription pain medications. Or it could potentially cause serious complications by interacting with the anesthetics you are administered.
• Previous illnesses – you should disclose any major illness that you have had in the past as this could negatively impact your tolerance of general and local anesthesia.
• Tobacco smoking – even if you have smoked in the past and recently quit, your oral surgeon should know about your habit as it can impair the healing of your wounds.
• Your current health – if you are currently facing any type of health condition, you should inform your dentist and oral surgeon. For example, if you are an insulin-dependent diabetic and recently had hernia surgery the dentist and oral surgeon need to know this.

The dentists and oral surgeons at Community Dental Group want your surgery to go as smoothly as possible, they see these issues as critical, need-to-know information. Please be sure to contact us and schedule a consultation so you can discuss them with your dentist and oral surgeon prior to the day of your oral surgery.