4 Reasons Why Your Dentist Checks Your Blood Pressure

After sitting down in the dental chair for your checkup, you may not have anticipated a blood pressure check to be a part of the process. You may be thinking to yourself, “Why does my dentist take my blood pressure?” After all, it’s a dentist’s office, not a medical clinic—how is it even relevant for a dental procedure?

For many dentists, especially oral surgeons, measuring blood pressure is quickly becoming an essential component of routine cleanings and regular checkups. Read on to learn four reasons why this is a new, and crucial, addition to your dental experience. 

Wellness Check

Hopefully, you are visiting your dentist every six months for routine cleanings, which means you may end up seeing your dentist 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% 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.

Measures Your Anxiety Levels

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 best meet your needs. The human body reacts differently when in pain or experiencing high anxiety, which is why dentists must understand your overall health at the time of your appointment.

Local Anesthetic Can Affect Your Blood Pressure

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 also 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.

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 cares about more than just helping you look your best—they want to help you feel your best, too.

About the Practice

Stec & Stines Cosmetic & Family Dentistry makes patients our #1 priority, which is why we work hard to create a relaxing atmosphere so you can be as comfortable as possible. General dentistry and preventive care are important parts of good dental health—before every checkup and cleaning, we take a patient’s blood pressure to make sure that their oral, and overall, health in its best shape. For more information, visit our website or call us at (308) 382-4440.