Will tooth extraction which needs anesthesia create a problem for me because I am taking aspirin?

It's me again, the same guy who just posted questions about drug interaction between blood lowerng medicines and amoxycillin, and who also posted question about the condition of my tooth (upper molar). Here's some additional information about my 3rd post today. I am currently taking atenolol 100mg and losartan 50mg to lower my blood pressure, and at the same time I am also taking a low dose aspirin 75mg daily. Because of the possibility that I might need my upper molar to be extracted if the antibiotics don't work, I am worried about bleeding or any other drug interactions. I started taking low dose aspirin and atenolol in June 2007, but because my blood pressure remained high, my doctor added losartan 50mg in August 2007. Thank you very much.

Will tooth extraction which needs anesthesia create a problem for me because I am taking aspirin?
Aspirin permanently disables platelet function. Platelet turnover time is 7 days.





For surgery, we usually have patients off aspirin for 5-7 days, so that they regain most of their clotting function. I don't know what dentists do, but you need to follow whatever directions your dentist gives you.





If you are having the tooth pulled with local anesthesia, then your blood pressure medications shouldn't affect anything. If you are having sedation or general anesthesia, you should continue your medications, including taking your moning medications on the day of surgery.





People with high blood pressure tend to have wider fluctuations in blood pressure during anesthesia. Having good control of your BP prior to having anesthesia, and staying well hydrated, help mitigate that response.





It is especially important not to stop your atenolol, because you will get rebound hypertension, which can be dangerous.





Good luck with the tooth.
Reply:Good question. Aspirin is a blood thinner. You may want to stop at least 48 hours before and after extraction to prevent excessive bleeding. Same goes with vitamin E and garlic supplements.





You may want to ask your doctor and dentist about your other meds.





royphil3,


Advil is ibuprofen, totally different from aspirin.
Reply:Aspirin just thins the blood; making it easier to bleed more. Also, depends on how many aspirins you take.
Reply:If you are taking Aspirin or any other blood thinners (and yes, garlic thins the blood too), at the very least, stop taking them the day before your surgery including the day of your surgery. But talk to your doctor first to make sure this is ok for your situation. If you continue to take them, you run a high risk of bleeding too much, which will also affect the healing because you won't be able to clot properly.





Ignore the answer about Advil. Those are two completely different medications.
Reply:I am quite familiar with atenolol because I suffer from flactuating blood pressure level. My doctor stopped me from taking them anymore because their side effect and I am now on other pills for blood pressure. Once you start taking pills to control the blood pressure you will have to continue taking them because it could go up without noticing and so to defend against other worse things like stroke it is better to continue having pills for blood pressure.


The thing that you have to check and inform your dentist is about taking the aspirin. The function of these are to make the blood thinner so as to avoid other worse things that could happen because of high blod pressure. Now when you come to get a tooth extracted you could bleed and because of the aspirin the bleeding could take longer. So first thing to do when you go to the dentist and also for other things it is always good to inform about what drugs you are taking. In dentistry because of the blood it is important so that he could be alert of what could happen. There is nothing special or that you can't do because you take aspirin. Otherwise all those who take these pills won't be able to have any teeth taken out. The most inportant thing is to inform the dentist about them most specially and also about all the other pills that you take. Myself I also take a considerable amount of pills and always inform him of what medicine I take.


This way you can put your mind to rest. Don't worry about it, he sure knows what to do.


Good luck and take care.
Reply:i work in an oral surgery office and most times the doctors here ask patients to stop taking asprin 5 days prior to having any surgery. each patient, however, is different and the most important thing is to check with the doctor/nurses in the office that you're going to, sometimes its ok to stay on asprin but its safest to double check :)
Reply:We ask patients to discontinue taking aspirin 3 days prior to the extraction date... then it's resumed the next day after.
Reply:Aspirin is fine. I always take some before going to the dentist. They'll even tell you to exceed the recommended dose of Advil if you have to wait a day for an emergency appointment. I don't know anything about the other drugs you're taking. I would just call your doctor or the dentist's office and ask.