Bleeding disorders in dental practice: A diagnostic overview

Dental health care workers are increasingly called upon to provide quality dental care to individuals whose bleeding and clotting mechanisms have been altered by inherited or acquired diseases. This provides an opportunity for the dentist who is trained in the recognition of oral and systemic signs of altered hemostasis to assist in the diagnosis of the underlying condition. A number of dental procedures result in the risk of bleeding that can have serious consequences, such as severe hemorrhage or possibly death, for the patient with a bleeding disorder. Oral care providers must be aware of the impact of bleeding disorders on the management of their patients. These disorders must be recognized from history, clinical examinations, and laboratory investigations, if indicated, prior to surgical procedures including those in dental surgery to prevent bleeding related complications. Safe dental care may require consultation with the patient's physician, systemic management, and dental treatment modifications. The purpose of this article is how to identify these patients with bleeding disorders.