Know the Guidelines
If in the past your doctor has prescribed antibiotics before you had dental work, don’t assume that your future holds more such meds. The guidelines may have changed since your last appointment… so check with your family doctor or cardiologist to learn if premedication is necessary for you.
For years the American Heart Association (AHA) recommended an antibiotic regime before dentistry for certain heart patients. But recently the AHA rewrote its guidelines, and the American Dental Association adopted them, agreeing that the risks of taking preventive antibiotics may outweigh the benefits for most patients.
Equally important, researchers failed to find that taking antibiotics before dentistry prevents infectious endocarditis (IE) in patients at risk of heart infection.
AHA guidelines say that “maintaining optimal oral health and practicing daily oral hygiene are more important in reducing the risk of infectious endocarditis than taking preventive antibiotics before a dental visit.”
We’re here to help you do just that. Don’t skip your checkups.
Preventive Antibiotics Are Still Advised For Patients With:
- Artificial heart valves
- A history of infectious endocarditis
- Certain specific congenital (present from birth) heart conditions
- A cardiac transplant that develops a problem in a heart valve
Dr. Angela Burns moved to Austin 10 years ago and instantly fell in love with our beautiful city. Dr. Burns is originally from the Texarkana area. She attended Texas A&M for her undergraduate degree and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center for her degree in dental surgery (DDS). Dr. Burns is committed to providing her patients with gentle, technologically advanced dental treatment. She attends an average of 60 hours of continuing education every year. She is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the Texas Dental Association, and the Capital Area Dental Society. Dr. Burns and her husband, Gary, have an 11-year-old daughter, Sydney, who is a proud 6th grader at Hill Country Middle School. She is also very involved in the Eanes PTO, her church, and loves raising her family in the Westlake community. “Growing up, I was drawn to mediating and helping others feel more included and less anxious. I was a camp counselor, student government officer and being the oldest of five, I was the family mediator. I found that I had a calling to help alleviate stressful situations for others and realized that being a good listener was something that was key to this. These skills really helped guide me into becoming a dentist that has based my practice on relationships, empathy and a sense of comfort. I knew that I wanted to provide an atmosphere that felt like home when others walked in. Our practice is small, personal and state of the art and we hope you feel like you’re hanging out with friends when you are here!” When she is not practicing dentistry, Dr. Burns enjoys traveling, hiking the greenbelt, enjoying Austin’s music scene, and eating Amy’s Ice Cream.
