Managing Patients on Blood Thinners Dr. Sanjukta Mohanta is a general dentist from Brampton, Ontario. As practitioners, one of the scariest things we encounter in the dental office is a patient bleeding excessively. That’s why we are on high alert when patients tell us they are taking blood thinners. The class of medications that we call blood thinners are, in fact, anticoagulants and antiplatelets that work by preventing blood clots from forming. These medications are prescribed to patients to prevent stroke, myocardial infarction and systemic embolism. Patients on these medications bleed more easily, therefore oral health care providers should ask themselves a few important questions before proceeding with treatment. Can we perform invasive procedures on patients taking blood thinners? If so, what modifications to treatment must be made? How can excessive bleeding be prevented and how should we manage it? 35 Issue 4 | 2024 |
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