Re: teeth cleaning - Heidi

April 25, 2004

Hi Heidi

Sorry for the delay but I'm not getting to read my emails as soon as I would

like.

To answer you, I was informed by the ward sister and given a note as part of

the release pack (information) issued by the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in

Birmingham. She advised that I keep the note in a safe place and carry it

round with me for I think a minimum of 3 months. The note advised whoever

read it that I had hip resurfacing and that I required antibiotics for

dental work and the same should be administered in case of an accident where

an infection was a possibility - It was for me to show doctors and dentists.

She made it clear that the antibiotics rule was for life. She was reading

from typed official documents which is the usual procedure for hospital

releases in the UK. She stated that if in doubt take the antibiotics. When

I was hospitalised having my first resurfacing a guy not too far from me was

having a THR removed due to infection. I've met 2 other guys on a further

visit who were similar. It tends to drive it home more when you see someone

who will have to go several months with no hip joint and then have to have

another THR/resurfacing operation. For the sake of a few tablets that you

need a couple of times a year all this can be prevented.

Rog BHR 2001 both hips Ronan Treacy

teeth cleaning

> Hi Rog,

> 's exact words were teeth scaling and polishing, so I assume that

> means digging and scraping with the little tool which can cause

bleeding.

> Did Treacy himself tell you to take antibiotics or someone else?

> Heidi

>

> P.S. Thanks Edith, for your nice response.

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> Check out MSN PC Safety & Security to help ensure your PC is protected and

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>

April 25, 2004

Hello dental posters,

I'm on this again, not to promote my own (obviously minority) POV on

antibiotics (unnecessary in routine dental care) but to add one thing I find

interesting: my OS is head of reconstructive orthopedics at the largest teaching

hospital in British Columbia. He and his team get the most complicated

revisions from all over the province, many of them due to severe infections. So

it's not like they don't realize how bad infections can be. Yet they routinely

tell

patients that while antibiotic use is optional, it is no longer considered

necessary for healthy patients. This is based on research overturning

longstanding assumptions about the connection between dental caries and

bone infection. My dental surgeon told me exactly the same thing. My family

doc agreed. My dad (a long-retired doc from the old school) predictably said,

oh just shut up and take the pills... why risk it?

I elected to go with the younger, more progressive docs who (wisely, I believe)

are trying to counteract the dangerous trend in antibiotic overuse, much of

which has arisen as a result of the litigious climate in health services,

especially

in the U.S. Everyone wants to be " covered " whether it's necessary or not.

By the way, I don't think routine use of antibiotics once or twice a year should

be considered quite so benign.

I'm just suggesting it might be worth asking for second opinions on this

subject.

a

Right Durom / Vancouver General /17.02.04

> Hi Heidi

> Sorry for the delay but I'm not getting to read my emails as soon as I would

> like.

> To answer you, I was informed by the ward sister and given a note as part of

> the release pack (information) issued by the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in

> Birmingham. She advised that I keep the note in a safe place and carry it

> round with me for I think a minimum of 3 months. The note advised whoever

> read it that I had hip resurfacing and that I required antibiotics for

> dental work and the same should be administered in case of an accident

where

> an infection was a possibility - It was for me to show doctors and dentists.

> She made it clear that the antibiotics rule was for life. She was reading

> from typed official documents which is the usual procedure for hospital

> releases in the UK. She stated that if in doubt take the antibiotics. When

> I was hospitalised having my first resurfacing a guy not too far from me was

> having a THR removed due to infection. I've met 2 other guys on a further

> visit who were similar. It tends to drive it home more when you see someone

> who will have to go several months with no hip joint and then have to have

> another THR/resurfacing operation. For the sake of a few tablets that you

> need a couple of times a year all this can be prevented.

> Rog BHR 2001 both hips Ronan Treacy

> teeth cleaning

>

> > Hi Rog,

> > 's exact words were teeth scaling and polishing, so I assume that

> > means digging and scraping with the little tool which can cause

> bleeding.

> > Did Treacy himself tell you to take antibiotics or someone else?

> > Heidi

> >

> > P.S. Thanks Edith, for your nice response.

> >

_______________________________________________________________

__

> > Check out MSN PC Safety & Security to help ensure your PC is protected

and

> > safe. http://specials.msn.com/msn/security.asp

> >

April 26, 2004

Hi a,

In my last message to Heidi I mentioned that I'd met 3 cases of serious

infection of the joint where they had to have the prosthesis removed. Even

in the UK they are treading on the side of caution to get good statistics on

resurfacing so I'll agree that antibiotic information could be safeguarding

this ( the same instructions are however given for THR patients re

antibiotics). The thing that struck me was that the 3 patients who had the

infection were youngish - 2 in their late 20's an the other mid 40's. One

of the younger ones was a Sunday league footballer, the other was a body

builder. So with their age and condition they were at the better end of

good physical shape. Both younger ones had dental treatment without

antibiotics (both THR's) but I do not know the cause of the infections.

I have been on this site for the best part of 3 years and we know of cases

here where an infection has taken root - I agree with your father.

Respectfully Rog

BHR both hips 2001 Treacy

teeth cleaning

> >

> > > Hi Rog,

> > > 's exact words were teeth scaling and polishing, so I assume

that

> > > means digging and scraping with the little tool which can cause

> > bleeding.

> > > Did Treacy himself tell you to take antibiotics or someone else?

> > > Heidi

> > >

> > > P.S. Thanks Edith, for your nice response.

> > >

> _______________________________________________________________

> __

> > > Check out MSN PC Safety & Security to help ensure your PC is protected

> and

> > > safe. http://specials.msn.com/msn/security.asp

> > >

April 26, 2004