Volume 9 • 2022 • Issue 5

Q Why should dentists be paying more attention to their patients’ blood pressure? Dr. Alia El-Mowafy (AEM): During the pandemic, our health care systemwas forced to adapt. Dentists returned to caring for patients in person early in the pandemic, but many of our physician colleagues continue to assess their patients via telehealth consultations. In the past, we often depended on physician’s assessment of our patient’s general health, including their blood pressure. I often consult with patient’s family physicians prior to dental surgery. These days, some physicians have informed me that they haven’t seen the patient in person for quite some time. In these cases, dentists are the main health care professionals seeing patients in-person on a regular basis. This gives us the opportunity to provide our patients with important diagnostic evaluations, including taking their vital signs. Q How often should dentists take their patient’s blood pressure? AEM: In 2007, the American Dental Association recommended that blood pressure be measured for every Screening for Hypertension How to manage elevated blood pressure measurements in an evolving health care system Dr. Alia El-Mowafy is a practising dental anesthesiologist inToronto and a clinical instructor at the University of Toronto faculty of dentistry. new patient, at each recall appointment, and throughout appointments for any patient that has cardiovascular disease, when complex procedures are performed. I would recommend that any patient over age 40 should have a blood pressure reading taken at every appointment. Taking this reading at each visit will help to establish a clear assessment of your patient’s health over time. When assessing these readings, ask yourself, “Is their blood pressure elevated?” “Is that correlated to an acute event such as stress or anxiety related to being in the dental office?” or “Is this unusual for this patient?” Dentists are in the habit of taking blood pressure readings prior to surgery and more complex procedures. I believe this is an opportune time for all of us to get in the habit of measuring our patients’ blood pressure more often. Q What are the best practices for measuring blood pressure? AEM: First, use an automated blood pressure machine. The cuff should go around the upper arm. There are some machines that measure at the level of the wrist, but they are not as accurate. Make sure the patient has an opportunity to sit and relax for about 5 minutes before you take a reading. If 31 Issue 5 | 2022 | Issues and People