For some patients who have certain heart conditions and those with artificial joints take antibiotics prior to their dental treatments. These people may be at risk of developing an infection in the heart or at the site of the artificial joint, respectively. Antibiotics reduce this risk. This is called antibiotic prophylaxis (pronounced pro-fuh-lax-iss) or premedication.

The current recommendations recommend use of preventive antibiotics before certain dental procedures for people with: Artificial heart valves, a history of infective endocarditis, a cardiac transplant that develops a heart valve problem.

Also congenital (present at birth) heart conditions: unrepaired or incompletely repaired cyanotic congenital heart disease, including those with palliative shunts and conduits, a completely repaired congenital heart defect with prosthetic material or device, whether placed by surgery or by catheter intervention, during the first six months after procedure, Any repaired congenital heart defect with residual defect at the site or adjacent to the site of a prosthetic patch or a prosthetic device.

Be sure to check with your cardiologist or medical physician if you’re not sure whether or not you fall into one of these categories.