For patients with unstable angina, or those who have had a myocardial infarction within the last 6 months, no routine dental care should be carried out. Routine dental care can be carried out for patients with stable angina, or more than 6 months after a heart attack. Artificial Heart Valves Potential medical problems of artificial heart valves include endocarditis, transient bacteremias, prolonged bleeding. Prophylactic antibiotic coverage before and after dental treatment is indicated. The reduced submandibular salivary flow found in this population interferes with the ability to maintain good oral hygiene, as does impaired memory.
Oral lesions occur due to falls, injury with forks, or due to mastication.
Demented patients often misplace dentures due to poor memory, and sometimes try to wear the lower denture on the upper arch or the upper denture on the lower arch. Treatment can become very difficult when individuals are no longer cooperative. One of the most important points to remember is to encourage caregivers of demented patients to enforce a daily oral hygiene protocol. As the disease progresses, the caregiver often must perform the oral hygiene for the patient. Diabetes mellitus Patients with uncontrolled diabetes have frequent infections and poor wound healing.