Someone who has been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis since the last dental appointment needs to let the dentist know about this. At the very least, it should be noted on the patient medical history, and it’s also a good idea to tell the clinic directly when setting the appointment. A General Dentist in Humble TX and hygienist need to know, since the disorder, and the medications that treat it both have certain effects that can cause problems during dental care.
Myasthenia gravis causes muscle weakness, and that can affect muscles in the face and throat. Some individuals experience occasional difficulty with swallowing, which is a symptom a General Dentist in Humble TX and the hygienist must know about for the patient’s safety. The patient may want to come up with a hand signal to let the practitioners know if this symptom is occurring or if they want the practitioners to stop their activity for any other reason. The hand signal is particularly important since myasthenia gravis also sometimes causes difficulty speaking. The dentist and hygienist may need to prop the patient’s mouth open with a specialized device if he or she cannot keep it open due to muscle weakness.
Myasthenia gravis patients commonly take anticholinesterase medications, and the dental clinic needs this information as well. These drugs boost muscle strength and prevent the dry mouth symptoms common with this health disorder. The medication sometimes can cause a bit too much saliva output, which normally isn’t a problem. However, it is something a dentist and hygienist need to deal with. A dentist such as Rowntree Richard D DDS might allow the patient to use a suction device that he or she controls.
In fact, patients should list on their medical history form all medications and supplements they take. People often don’t think much about this, but many of these products have side effects that may become noticeable during teeth cleaning or other dental treatments. Taking ibuprofen regularly can have blood thinning effects and result in increased bleeding of the gums, for example. So can taking vitamin E supplements or the herbal substance Ginkgo biloba.
