TEEN ZONE
Transistion
Endocarditis, including dental care, tattoos and piercings
You will have probably heard this mentioned a lot on here, Because you have a heart condition, you are at increased risk of developing a serious condition called ENDOCARDITIS.
Endocarditis is an illness in which infection develops on the heart valves or other heart tissues. This infection is extremely difficult to cure. Endocarditis usually starts with flu-like symptoms (high temperature, sweats, general aches and pains), which, unlike flu, persist for more than a few days. It usually requires at least six weeks in hospital, being treated with antibiotics given via a drip. With appropriate treatment approximately 90% of people recover, however it is potentially a fatal condition. Complications may also arise, with 1 in 4 cases of acute endocarditis needing some form of surgery to repair damage to the heart.
Dental Health
The most common source of the bugs, which cause endocarditis, is from the mouth. Everyone’s mouth carries bugs but if your teeth and gums are in poor condition the risk is increased. When you have dental work performed, if any bleeding occurs bugs from the mouth can enter the blood and make their way to the heart.We therefore recommend;
- You brush your teeth thoroughly twice daily
- You see your dentist every 6 – 12 months
- The latest guidance (March 2008) advises that you DO NOT NEED TO TAKE ANTIBIOTICS PRIOR TO DENTAL WORK. For further information regarding this visit www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.
If you don’t have a dentist your PCT keep a list of dentists who have space.
Body Art: Tattoos and Piercings
You should be aware that all tattoos and piercings carry some risk of infection and we strongly recommend that you AVOID tattoos and piercings altogether. Any procedure, which breaks the skin, carries a risk of introducing “bugs” into the blood stream. These “bugs” can settle on the heart causing a serious infection called endocarditis. Piercing which involves the nose, lip, tongue, genitalia or navel (belly button) carries more risk than piercing of ears, eyebrows or nipples.However, the decision to get pierced or tattooed is yours, and if you do choose to proceed, knowing the risks involved, the following will help you to make the procedure as safe as possible. The person performing the procedure has the responsibility to provide you with information about the risks involved.
1. Good hygiene is vital. Keep the area clean with a skin disinfectant containing alcohol or chlorhexidine before and after the procedure, until the wound is healed.
2. If the piercing becomes red and sore, you should remove the ring and seek medical attention.
If you need to remove the ring because of infection, you should not replace it until the infection is completely cleared and you should seriously consider not replacing it at all.
Updated Winter 08/09
