Caution For Drug Reactions During Dental Treatments

Dentists use drugs to help patients withstand dental procedures while fighting or avoiding infections. In some cases, however, these drugs may cause serious harm.

Dental Drugs

• Dentists may use any of several drugs in their work, such as local or general anesthetics, sedatives and antibiotics. Some of these drugs, such as penicillin, carry well-known risks.

Severity

• Negative reactions to dental drugs may include anything from mild allergic symptoms to fatalities, as in the case of three Texas patients who died from overdoses of dental anesthetics.

Allergies

• Patients may have allergies to certain antibiotics, commonly penicillin, or local anesthetics such as benzocaine, according to Dental1.org. Patients should tell their dentists about any allergies they know of before a dental procedure.

Drug Interactions

• Dental anesthetics may interact with central nervous system depressants or with other drugs that block the body's ability to metabolize them, according to the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Pre-existing Conditions

• Some dental patients have pre-existing conditions that may endanger them if they undergo sedation dentistry, which uses general anesthesia. Patients with medical conditions are urged to inform their dentists of such conditions prior to the administration of anesthesia.