I have just been told that I have mitral valve prolapse and my cardiologist told me I need to take antibiotics before my dental appointments. Can you tell me why this is necessary?
A. Mitral valve prolapse is a condition of the mitral valve of the heart that causes the valve to not open and close properly. When this happens there is a chance that the bacteria normally present in the mouth enter into the blood stream and upon passing the valve, adhere to it. This can lead to an infection in the heart. By giving you antibiotics before your appointment we can lower the amount of bacteria in the bloodstream and thereby decrease the possibility of infecting the mitral valve. You would need to be pre-medicated with this antibiotic whenever there is a chance of bleeding during a dental procedure. There are also some other medical procedures that would require you to pre-medicate. Some podiatric procedures and well as a colonoscopy are two that come to mind.
Related Questions
- I have just been told that I have mitral valve prolapse and my cardiologist told me I need to take antibiotics before my dental appointments. Can you tell me why this is necessary?
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