Dental procedures and endocarditis prophylaxis in patients with prosthetic heart valves: results of a questionnaire to 220 patients.

220 patients with prosthetic heart valves were surveyed regarding dental status, dental health, patient-dentist relationship, information on dental procedures and antimicrobial prophylaxis at the last visit to the dentist. The vast majority of these patients were on life-long anticoagulant treatment because of mechanical heart valve prostheses. Half of the patients had a regular dentist and customarily visited a dentist one or more times a year. One third of the patients were edentulous and 26.5% of the patients indicated dental disease, including chronic periodontitis. Only 30.4% of the patients received antimicrobial prophylaxis in connection with dental extraction and only 13.8% in connection with scaling. Maintenance of good oral health, routine dental checks and better information to the patients and the dentist are called for.