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Permalink Reply by Azurah on May 28, 2012 at 10:07pm

I know we have a dentist on TuD and I'm sure she'll chime in soon!

I can tell you what I'm taught as a dental hygiene student. We are taught to ask if/when, and what medications have been taken, has the patient eaten before the appointment, when was bg last taken and what was the reading. We have glucose tabs and a bg meter in the office.

Other than being extra observant in case of signs of a hypo, I would treat Quinn like any other patient. Sorry, I don't know Quinn's age, but children's cleanings are generally pretty noninvasive and unlikely to lead to infection.

Edit: Also, I would be stressing good oral hygiene! The best way to reduce the risk of dental infections is to maintain excellent oral hygiene!

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Permalink Reply by Jonah on May 28, 2012 at 10:08pm

The biggest issue I've had is dealing with a hypo when your mouth is numb and/or you're in the dentist's chair. My dentist apparently stocks juice boxes for exactly that emergency, but I recommend making sure you have a large supply of liquid carbs, if you typically use something else for hypos.

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Permalink Reply by smileandnod on May 30, 2012 at 6:15am

I agree with Jonah. I'm not sure why but I tend to go low during dental appointments so just make sure you're prepared. More than once, I've had to sit in my car treating low blood sugar and retesting before I can drive home. The glucose gels are good for this also even if your mouth is numb.

I've never had a dentist or peridontist ask when I last ate or what my last bg reading was, so don't assume that the dentist will be knowledgeable. As always with D, being prepared is peace of mind.

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