Blood Thinners and Dental Care

Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Agents and Dental Procedures

An increasing number of dental patients are taking “blood thinner” medications for various medical conditions. These drugs interfere with the body’s normal clotting (stopping blood flow) mechanism. There are two main processes by which the body normally forms a blood clot at the site of tissue injury. The first involves small blood cells called platelets which clump together at the wound to form a mechanical plug. This plug slows the flow of blood through the vessel and forms a matrix for the next phase of coagulation. During coagulation chemicals in the blood interact with each other to fill in the spaces between the platelets, stabilize the clot, and make it more solid until the process stops the bleeding.

Antiplatelet agents such as aspirin, Ticlid (ticlopidine), and Plavix (clopidogrel) target the first phase of clot formation by preventing platelets from sticking together and adhering to blood vessels. These agents do this by creating permanent changes in the platelets which last throughout the lifetime of the platelet (7-10 days). These effects can only be countered as the body produces new platelets that have not been exposed to the drug.

For full article: http://www.aaom.com/patients/blood-thinners-and-dental-care/

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