Do you ever wonder why we take your blood pressure? You would think it’s weird because you’re at the dentist and we are treating your mouth, not your body. But, your oral health is always connected to your overall health. 

Taking your blood pressure at the very first visit to our office, and most times before a dental procedure, helps give our providers a baseline on your health. When there is an issue with your blood pressure, it will affect how you receive your dental care. The hygienists and dentists plan your dental treatments accordingly to give you the best outcome for your teeth and gums. 

If you are someone who already has high blood pressure, dental treatments can sometimes cause a spike which can lead to other risks of health concerns, such as hypertension. Hypertension that is left untreated or poorly controlled can lead to heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease. 

A study of 20,000 adults, published in the Journal of Periodontology, found that people with poor oral hygiene habits, such as infrequent tooth brushing, were more likely to suffer from hypertension.

Here are some of the common causes that raise your blood pressure during a visit to the dentist:

• Patient’s anxiety about the visit or procedure ( also known as white coat syndrome) 
• Pain that the patient may feel during the procedure 
• Local anesthesia applied by dentists to numb the mouth. However, the anesthesia itself does not increase blood pressure. What causes a spike in blood pressure is the presence of substances such as epinephrine in anesthesia, as epinephrine can raise blood pressure. 



If your blood pressure is too high before a procedure, the treatment must be put on hold and your provider would recommend you to see your primary care physician to seek medical advice on how to lower your blood pressure. 

At Live & Smile we are always doing our best to give the best dental care and we want to make sure that our patients’ overall health, not just dental health, is taken care of as well.