Can I donate blood with cavities?

Dentist in Houston

The need for safe and secure supplies of blood and blood products is universal. Globally, at least 90 million units of blood are donated each year to save lives and improve the health of many people. Blood and blood products are needed for both routine and emergency surgery, including the life-saving treatment of an increasing number of people injured in traffic accidents, as well as for the treatment of disorders congenital blood.

Therefore, donating blood is a great way to save lives. However, it is important to avoid donating blood when we have an active infection or shortly after undergoing a dental procedure.

about tooth decay

Dental caries is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that produce acids, acids that interfere with the surface of the teeth causing their decomposition. Its symptoms can include pain and difficulty eating, and its main complications can include inflammation of the tissue around the tooth, tooth loss, and infection or abscess formation.

Causes and prevention of caries

The cause of cavities is the acid from the bacteria that dissolves the hard tissues of the teeth. Acid is produced by bacteria when they break down food debris on the surface of the tooth. Simple sugars in food are the main source of energy for these bacteria, and therefore a diet high in simple sugars is a risk factor. Dental caries is associated with poor oral hygiene.

Prevention of dental caries includes regular teeth cleaning, a low-sugar diet, and fluoride applications.

Relationship between caries and blood

A deep cavity that has affected the nerve of the tooth can send bacteria into the bloodstream. In addition, your dentist will usually prescribe antibiotics if you have recently had root canal treatment for these reasons. It is convenient that the antibiotic treatment has completely finished, even waiting one more week after it is finished, before trying to donate blood. Anyone who is likely to receive a blood donation has generally recently suffered some form of trauma. Normally, you are being treated with different types of medications, and many drug interactions can occur if the donated blood contains drugs, which can cause a series of unwanted and very dangerous side effects.

On the other hand, blood donated by people suffering from gum disease, periodontitis, may be at risk of being contaminated with bacteria, making transfused patients more vulnerable to hospital infections.

The prevalence of bacteria is much higher in blood donated by people with periodontitis compared to those who do not experience severe gum inflammation. In addition, bacteria that originate in the oral cavity evade routine testing that aims to detect growing germs that can cause transfusion-transmitted infections in blood donations.

Unfortunately, infection triggered by the introduction of bacteria into a patient through a transfusion remains one of the leading causes of post-transfusion mortality and morbidity.

Gum surgeries or tooth extractions can make donating blood risky. Therefore, the ideal is to wait up to 48 hours between these procedures and donating blood.

Can you donate blood after dental treatment?

It is acceptable to donate blood after dental procedures as long as no infection is present. The donation will really depend a lot on the type of treatment:

In simple treatments such as cleanings and fillings, the ideal is to wait 24 hours, as long as we feel well, there have been no complications and there is no pain, bleeding or infection.

If the treatment has consisted of dental impressions or placement and adjustment of a removable prosthesis, there is no problem in donating blood afterwards.

After dental extractions and root canals, it is best to wait seven days as long as we are recovered and without symptoms. In more important surgeries, longer restrictions are usually applied.

Before any procedure, you can donate blood, but it's still a good idea to wait. We must give our body time to recover from the blood that has been removed.

💌 Appointments 📱 +1 281-880-6666

📍14119 Stuebner Airline Rd, Houston TX 77069.

Source: adeslasdental

Prestigious Smiles Dentistry: When it comes to finding the best dental practice in Houston, Prestigious Smiles Family Dentistry is the right place. Your Dentist in Houston, Tx, is dedicated to delivering high-quality dental care using advanced technology and state-of-the-art equipment.

Dentist in Houston

Dentist office in Houston, Dentist near me in Houston, Emergency dentist in Houston, Family dentist in Houston, Dental clinic in Houston, Dental service in Houston, Dental care in Houston, Dental problems in Houston, Dental Implants in Houston, Dental practice in Houston, Family Dentistry in Houston, General Dentistry in Houston, Cosmetic Dentistry in Houston, Dental Crowns in Houston, Emergency Dental Care in Houston, Restore Implant Crowns in Houston, Zoom Whitening in Houston, Composite Fillings in Houston, invisalign in Houston, Occlusal guards in Houston, Sedation Dentistry in Houston, Pediatric Dentistry in Houston, Laser Dentistry in Houston, Prophy Basic Cleaning in Houston, Scaling and Root Planning in Houston, Oral Surgery in Houston, Root Canals in Houston, Orthodontics in Houston, Prosthodontics in Houston, Dental Crown Porcelain in Houston, Teeth straightening in Houston