J
JAB
Member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2016
- Messages
- 53
I understand your point. However I see the PCP at least every six months. If there was a real issue that would make dental work a problem, she would most likely want me to start taking bp meds. They have all my medical history. If that isn't enough for them, then I know I can find a dentist that doesn't take blood pressures. To the dentist it may not seem like a big deal, but to me it's life and death. You can say I'm blowing things out of proportion, but you have no clue what it feels like to be judged simply because my bp is 130/82 on average. I never realized the stigma attached to that diagnosis. That diagnosis has destroyed my life. Dental work is a breeze to get through. It's the shame of feeling judged that gets me the most now. Sometimes it's the little innocent comments that hurt the most. Them taking my bp would just give them something else to shame me with. I doubt 130 would render it dangerous to receive dental care. Otherwise I'm sure you wouldn't be doing nearly as much work. I can't be the only one with a pressure that high.I think you are missing the point. The teeth are connected and not a seperate part. Your bp as much as it is an uncomfortable subject is a real concern to to a dentist or any other health care provider who will be performing a procedure on you.
Last year I was referred a patient for an occlusal guard. He did not not to fill out a medical history form as I was just going to take a couple of impressions and make this plastic device. Of course I avoided the initial conflict by talking about causes of tooth grinding or bruxism at night.
Short answer a significant factor of his bruxism was caused by sleep apnea which was exacerbated by his medication to help him sleep. That medication that he took to help him sleep which no longer served that function according to him is also a suspect in causing mental function decline.
Another patient of mine recently needed emergency treatment for his hypertension that I picked up on. The year before he had a stroke because of the same incident.