When Allergies Manifest in the Dental Office
While dental allergies affect a small percentage of the general population, they do happen and are cause for grave concern. In the dental office, practitioners have their share of allergic encounters in patients. Patients themselves may not be aware they are allergic to certain triggers and if such events surface in a dental set-up, it is through a dentist’s training and expertise that the harmful effects are averted and learned from.
Take penicillin, for example. Would you know if you are allergic to penicillin? This popular drug is widely used as an anti-infective in dental practise and, unfortunately, some people have allergies to it. You ought to have a full disclosure of your medical and dental history in your file because good dental practise requires it. As such your dentist will not prescribe it nor any other antibiotic in the same family of drugs but opt for other medications instead. Without this information though, he must be able to give the proper antidote or counter-procedure in a timely manner.
It goes the same when some patients manifest allergies towards latex gloves, impression materials, dental fillings like amalgam and composites, or metals used in dentistry like mercury, titanium, and nickel, among others. Local anesthetics may also trigger allergies. Manifestations include hives, swelling of tongue, pharynx, larynx; there may be bronchospasm, hypotension, or cardiac arrhythmias. Where allergic reactions are concerned, prevention is better than cure. It is in your best interest as a patient that your dentist is well trained and experienced in handling such cases.
Foreknowledge and Alertness in Lynnwood Dentistry
Here at Auburn Dental, our dentists and staff combine the indispensable tools in dealing with allergies. We take thorough medical and dental history seriously that will provide us with background knowledge about your allergies, should you have them. We are nonetheless alert and prepared to deal with unforeseen events should they arise. It’s just the way good dentistry is practiced.
