Why Does a Dentist Take Your Blood Pressure?

Recently, you may have noticed your dentist taking your blood pressure for your appointment. For many people, this doesn’t make much sense. After all, surely your blood condition is more relevant to a physical exam than dental care. Shouldn’t dentists focus more on issues like plaque, tooth stains, and gum disease? Well, it turns out that blood pressure is more important to dentistry than you’d think. That said, here are three good answers to the question “Why does my dentist take my blood pressure?” from Beachwood specialists.

To Assess Treatment Readiness

As you may know, high blood pressure is something that can lead to various health issues. If you already suffer from hypertension, added stress could raise it and lead to severe problems. That said, dentists will often measure your blood pressure to ensure you’re well enough for treatment. They don’t want to do something that might put your body at risk.

If they find your blood pressure is high, a dentist may forgo a planned procedure. Instead, they’ll refer you to a physician for further examination.

To Adjust Anesthesia Accordingly

Anesthesia is an essential part of dental work. Without it, dentists couldn’t provide comfort during procedures.

It just so happens, though, that many anesthetics can elevate blood pressure. Thus, your dentist will take your blood pressure if you’re about to receive a treatment involving anesthesia. Doing so will help them know how and whether to adjust the drugs and dosages.

To Save Your Health (and Your Life)

Hypertension can be so subtle at times that it goes unnoticed. That said, your dentist will perform a blood pressure check to see if you have it. Apparently, such checks are often when people first learn they have hypertension.

If your dentist finds you have high blood pressure, you’ll be in a better position to control it. Thus, you’ll be able to lower your risk of more serious conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

As you can see from the items above, dentists care about your overall wellness, not just your oral health. Keep that in mind the next time they take out the armband and bulb for a measurement.

About the Practice

Orange Place Family Dentistry is based in Beachwood, OH. As led by Drs. Jed Koops, Jerome Faist, and Thanh Mollica, the practice makes patient safety a high priority. Through their comprehensive and detailed approach to care, you’ll receive top-quality dentistry that truly meets your health needs. To that end, they provide preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dental treatments, as well as emergency dentistry when needed. For more information or to book an appointment, you can reach them at their website or by phone at (216)-464-2448.