Sheffield University hails change in dental treatment for heart patients

It comes after Sheffield University showed there had been an increase in cases of the life-threatening heart condition infective endocarditis since a national health body recommended in 2008 that at-risk heart patients no longer receive antibiotic cover during dental treatment.

Following research, conducted by Professor Martin Thornhill of the university’s School of Clinical Dentistry, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) had initially decided not to change its recommendation despite dentists in the USA and Europe routinely giving antibiotic cover to high-risk heart patients.

However, after pressure from the national charity Heart Research UK which funded the research, and Prof Thornhill, Nice has altered the guidelines. Before the change, Nice’s guidelines stated that giving antibiotic cover to heart patients undergoing dental treatment was not recommended.

That recommendation has now been changed to say that dentists should not “routinely” give antibiotics to patients at risk of infective endocarditis during dental procedures. The new ruling allows flexibility so that dentists and cardiologists can recommend antibiotic cover when it is in the best interests of the patient.

Prof Thornhill said he was pleased that Nice had now taken account of the research.

“This change is most welcome. It lifts the ban on giving antibiotic prophylaxis to protect patients at risk of endocarditis and permits dentists and cardiologists to act in the best interests of patients at greatest risk of this devastating disease by providing them with the protection that is standard care in the rest of the world.”

Heart Research UK’s national director, Barbara Harpham, welcomed the change. “This is great news for patients and the money for this research was very well spent for our charity,” she said.

“Patients at risk now have a choice and, after talking to their dentist, can make an informed decision about their treatment.

“It has taken us, and others, nearly two years of pressure to get this change.”

Prof Thornhill’s research was funded by Heart Research Uk and the healthcare provider Simplyhealth.