Dental Care for Patients With Heart Disease

By Susan Lynn Tolle, BSDH, MS, Amber Walters Hunt, RDH, BSDH, MS

Cardiovascular disease is the most common systemic disease in the United States, with approximately 82.6 million affected.¹ Due to this high prevalence, dental hygienists can expect to see a substantial number of patients with heart disease. Appropriate dental hygiene management requires an understanding of disease characteristics, pathophysiology, and treatment modifications to ensure optimal patient care. This article provides an overview of two common cardiovascular diseases: hypertension/hypertensive heart disease and heart failure.

* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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