Why Does My Dentist Check My Blood Pressure?

When you have a dental visit, most things that are happening seem to make sense and you don’t give it a second thought. You might wonder what a particular dental tool is used for, but if the dentist is holding it, you are about to find out.

However, some things that occur might require an explanation for you to be clear on the reasoning. For example, have you ever thought, “Why does my dentist take my blood pressure?” You expect that at the doctor’s office, but the truth is that for many dentists, especially oral surgeons, measuring blood pressure has become an essential component of routine cleanings and regular checkups.

Keep reading to learn why this action is an important part of your dental experience from your dentist in Queen Creek.

Your Blood Pressure Can Be Affected by Local Anesthetic

Local anesthesia is used to provide maximum comfort during dental work, making it an important part of many procedures. Most anesthetics include epinephrine, which helps prolong the numbing effect.

Epinephrine can elevate your blood pressure, which may put some individuals at risk for a medical emergency if they have hypertension. If you have high blood pressure, your dentist can adjust the anesthesia drugs and dosages for your safety.

Provides Insight on Your Anxiety Level

Most people experience dental anxiety because they find it nerve-wracking to have someone working on their mouth without knowing what to expect. If you’re feeling anxious or stressed before a dental procedure, it can raise your blood pressure, which means your dentist may need to adjust your treatment plan to suit your needs. The human body reacts differently when in pain or experiencing high anxiety, which is why it’s crucial for dentists to understand your overall health at the time of your appointment.

Offers Swift-Yet-Crucial Health Evaluation

Hopefully, you are visiting your dentist every six months for routine cleanings, which means you may end up seeing them more often than your physician. This makes dental visits a wonderful opportunity to run a wellness check on blood pressure, as the service can potentially save your life by identifying undiagnosed or uncontrolled high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. This condition is deemed the “silent killer” because symptoms can be subtle and often go unnoticed. It causes about 60,000 deaths per year and affects about 30 percent of Americans.

Discovering hypertension is crucial, as early detection can prevent severe damage to the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, and more. It may also be indicative of more serious conditions like diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

There are many correlations between oral and cardiovascular health, which is why checking your vitals has become a key step in the dental experience. Your dentist in Queen Creek cares about more than just helping you look your best – they want to help you feel your best, too.

About the Practice

At Queen Creek Complete Dental, we strive to offer comprehensive services from friendly faces to patients in the East Valley. From routine checkups to specialized treatments for everyone in the family, we want to be your dental home. As a privately owned and operated practice, we can offer one-on-one service from a staff you’ll get to know over the long term. A blood pressure check is part of your dental cleaning and exam because we want to make sure you are feeling as great as your smile will look. Oral cancer screenings, fluoride treatments, periodontal therapy, or perhaps a custom-made nightguard – there are a lot of ways a checkup can go depending on your oral health needs. To make an appointment, visit our website or call (480) 722-1200.