Intended for US audience only.
Dental Care
Two of the best weapons against mouth bleeds can be found in your medicine cabinet – a tooth brush and dental floss. That’s because daily brushing and flossing, combined with regular visits to a dentist, who is familiar with bleeding disorders, is imperative. They can help to prevent gum disease, bleeding that is caused by gum disease, and any infections that may occur.
This section will help you to understand the important role of dental care in your child’s hemophilia treatment plan. Plus, how you can help your child develop and maintain good dental hygiene from the early years through adulthood. (See Through the Years.)
Pearls of wisdom
The first step toward healthy teeth and gums is finding a dentist who is familiar with or who is willing to learn about bleeding disorders. (See Finding a Dental Home and Dental Checklist.) Your child’s dentist should work with his treatment center to obtain information about his hemophilia and medical records. How often your child should visit his dentist is a joint decision that should be made by you, your treatment center, and your dentist.
Between visits, encourage your child to brush and floss on a regular basis. (See Brushing and Flossing.) If your child wears braces, applying dental wax over rough edges helps to protect gum tissue, cheeks, and lips. And should your child ever experience an accident involving the mouth, you’ll want to be prepared to handle mouth bleeds. (See Mouth Bleeds.)
Note: thereforyou.com does not recommend a particular treatment for specific individuals and recommends that you consult your treatment center or physician before pursuing any course of treatment. Use of antifibrolytic agents is not recommended for inhibitor patients using Factor VIII bypassing therapy, due to the increased possibility of thrombotic risk.
