Ugh. Has anyone needed dental work a week before surgery and not been rescheduled?

[paige]

I just found out that I need a tooth pulled. I have the option of having a root canal as well, but the dentist doesn't think that it will last and I would be wasting my money and he thinks that having it extracted would be better since I'm having surgery so soon. My surgery is scheduled for Monday the 18th. My extraction is scheduled for tomorrow. It is not a wisdom tooth extraction, which I know takes a while longer to heal. My dentist thinks I'll be fine. I've got a bit of trust in what he says as his long-time office manager had a valve replacement two years ago so they are sensitive to heart issues. I haven't heard back from my doctor yet.

 

[Jkm7]

It will, of course, be up to your surgeon but chances are good you'll be healed enough. Let us know what your surgeon says.
Best Wishes.

 

[dick0236]

I agree that you should be OK in having it pulled a week before surgery.....but I would let my surgeon know before the dental work. He may know some reason for you to delay the extraction until after the surgery. Good luck with both procedures.

 

[Bryan B]

I had a bunch of dental work before surgery but had one problem tooth that had been crowned but I was having pain (a molar I think). I had an endodontist do a root canal on the tooth two weeks before surgery (instead of one week). There was no blood so for some reason I think a root canal would be safer than an extraction one week before surgery. I would definitely ask your surgeon and/or cardiologist what to do before having anything done. BTW the root canal on that tooth has held up but I know every case is different. I had 3 root canals in the weeks before surgery. It's a long story a dentist drilled my mouth with fillings when I was a kid when I didn't need them. We found that out later when he tried to do it again and we got a second opinion (I just had soft enamel, not cavities). Some of the fillings that came out had been drilled so deep that a root canal or extraction were the only options. All 3 root canals have held up so far and it has been 7 years and another heart surgery.

 

[Michellemar]

Whoa, well the thing is you have done everything right, including especially contacting your doctor, so whatever happens, it's on schedule...

 

[bdryer]

I was given a booklet from my hospital up here in the frozen north, which outlined does and don'ts post surgery. One of the warnings was to avoid dental work for 6 months post surgery. What you must avoid is Myocarditis. Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle. Myocarditis may occur after a viral, fungal, or bacterial infection. IE infection from dental work. The dentist will prescribe a large dose of antibiotics prior to the procedure to better protect you. With your heart in it's infancy state of healing post surgery, you must protect it from an influx of bacteria from dental work. It may be advisable for you to heed the advice from my home hospital.

If I were you, I'd get her done now, your tooth is to far decayed and will only get worse. Protect your heart from Myocarditis! Thats your priority!

NOTE: Should you elect the pre surgery tooth extraction I would ask your dentist for a course of antibiotics to protect your ailing heart. My dentist did this for me pre surgery.

NOTE 2: The pre-dental requirement for antibiotics after valve replacement is for life time, not just 6 mts post op or pre op. Always advise your dentist you had valve replacement surgery so they can protect your heart from Myocarditis. The antibiotics are taken 1 hr prior to the dental procedure. Your dentist will have the antibiotics in house. Swing by 1 hr before your procedure and load up on the dose as prescribed by your Dentist.

 

[Lynlw]

I would call your surgeon, again and your cardiologist. Also be sure to ask if you need antibiotics, I guess every place does it differently, but all of Justin's different dentists called his scripts into the drug store and we picked them up and give him and hour before his appt. (they usually call enough for a few visit and we just let them know when he needs a refill. IF you haven't premedicated before, ask who calls them in, Justin's dentist does, but I know others who cardiologist calls them in.
Justin had a bout of Endocarditis when he was 11, he also had a sternal mediastinal infection after one of his surgeries, so I know you rather be safe than sorry. I "believe" having it pulled a week before will be ok, but if it would be safer to postpone surgery, at least you'll know now instead of finding out the day before surgery.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

By all means, be sure your Surgeon is aware of your Dental Issues.
Most Surgeons require a Dental Clearance before performing Heart Surgery and they will want ALL of your Dental issues to be resolved Before your Heart Surgery.

 

[paige]

Thanks for all of your replies and information. I have been pre-medicating at the dentist for many years, so I've got that part under control, though I'm wondering (and will ask doctor) if I need post extraction antibiotics, as well as pre-medication. I will call my surgeon this morning. My appt. at the dentist isn't until later this afternoon. Everything else in my mouth looks fine. I have no disease, had x-rays and teeth cleaned two weeks ago.

Thank you and I'll let you know what happens.

 

[paige]

Talked to surgeon's assistant this morning. No problems with getting tooth extracted today. She said they have some patients that need surgery who have teeth pulled by oral surgeons at the hospital and the patient has heart surgery the following day. I also found a study out of Japan about dental work prior to heart surgery, which may be of interest to anyone who might go through something similar.

http://icvts.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/rapidpdf/icvts.2010.255943v1.pdf

 

[Lynlw]

Talked to surgeon's assistant this morning. No problems with getting tooth extracted today. She said they have some patients that need surgery who have teeth pulled by oral surgeons at the hospital and the patient has heart surgery the following day. I also found a study out of Japan about dental work prior to heart surgery, which may be of interest to anyone who might go through something similar.

http://icvts.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/rapidpdf/icvts.2010.255943v1.pdf

I'm glad you got the answer we were hoping for. I'm glad you were able to talk to her early and so have one less thing to worry about.
Good luck at the dentist.

 

[Jkm7]

I feel sure your surgeon would be happier you having the extraction prior to the surgery vs after.
I also was firmly advised to not see a dentist for any reason for six months post op.

Be certain to mention to your anesthesiologist you have a recent tooth extraction so (s) he will know when intubating etc

 

[normofthenorth]

+1 to jkm7's! I was told the same as bdryer, no dental work for 6 months post-op, for fear of carditis. (They've mostly mentioned endocarditis to me, = valve infection.)

I had 4 extractions done by my Periodontist shortly before OHS/AVR -- but not THAT shortly. In fact, it was conceivable that my Perio could have stuck in the base fixtures for implants shortly before my OHS/AVR, but he didn't want to take the chance that the still-delicate fixtures would either get banged by the tubes, or would complicate the OHS/AVR while they babied them. It should work out great, as long as everybody knows where the extraction was. And you may have a counter-irritant, too, so you will at least hurt less from ONE of them!