THE HYPERTENSIVE DENTAL PATIENT

The dental team plays an integral role in safeguarding the general hea lth of patients. Dental health care workers should be able to recogniz e risk factors associated with hypertension and counsel patients in an effort to reduce those that are present. In addition, dental professi onals should recognize how these risk factors and associated hypertens ion affect the provision of dental care. This article reviews recent f indings and therapies for hypertension, evaluates historically accepte d but unsupported anecdotal information on the dental management of hy pertensive patients and proposes guidelines for the dental management of these patients.