Dental Extraction in Patients on Aspirin

Abstract

Dental Extraction in Patients on Aspirin

Ratchadaporn Adchariyapetch DSS

Department of Dentistry, BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospital

Objective: To study postoperative stoppage of bleeding after simple dental extractions for patients receiving and not ceasing low-dose aspirin (≤ 100 mg.), in comparison with patients ceasing aspirin intake 7 days before dental extraction.

Study design: Observational study.

Subjects: Patients who received low-dose aspirin (≤ 100 mg.) and underwent simple dental extraction of 1-3 teeth at BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospital during November 2007 to April 2008.

Methods: There were 31 patients discontinued aspirin intake 7 days before dental extraction and 36 patients continued aspirin intake. The bleeding time was measured before dental extraction. After extraction, bleeding stoppage within 30 minutes, 60 minutes until completely stoping, as well as, the repeated bleeding within 24 hours were recorded. The results from the group of patients who discontinued aspirin 7 days before dental extraction and the group who continued aspirin were compared.

Main outcome measures: Bleeding time, period of bleeding stoppage after dental extraction, incidence of repeated bleeding within 24 hours

Results: The subjects were male in 29 cases and female in 38 cases. The mean age was 66.6 ±  6.6 years. The mean bleeding time of the patients who discontinued aspirin intake 7 days in advance was 1.9 ±  0.5 minutes, which was statistical significant different (p-value = 0.045) from 2.8 ±  0.6 minutes of those who continued aspirin but bleeding time in all patients were still within normal ranges (0-6 minutes). After dental extraction, almost all patients had bleeding stoppage within 30 minutes by only biting on gauze. Only one of the group that discontinued aspirin intake had bleeding stoppage within 31-60 minutes. Repeated bleeding within 24 hours after tooth extraction was not found in either group.

Conclusion: Simple dental extraction of 1-3 teeth in low-dose aspirin intake patients (≤ 100 milligrams) can be undertaken without the necessity of ceasing aspirin before dental extraction.

Vajira Med J 2009 ; 53 : 283-289