Dental Devices Do Not Interfere with Pacemakers, Defibrillators

Dental Devices Do Not Interfere with Pacemakers, Defibrillators

Debate abounds over the potential interference between dental electrical devices when employed during the treatment of patients with cardiac pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). In an effort to determine if such interference exists, a team of researchers conducted a prospective clinical study. The results, “Interference Between Dental Electrical Devices and Pacemakers or Defibrillators: Results From a Prospective Clinical Study,” were published in February by the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Study authors, in an outpatient cardiology clinic, exposed 32 asymptomatic nonpacemaker-dependent patients to commonly used electrical dental equipment, including battery-operated curing lights, ultrasonic baths and scalers, electric pulp testers, and power toothbrushes. Twelve patients wore a cardiac pacemaker, while 20 patients were fitted with an ICD. The team then operated electrical dental equipment at various distances, closely observing patients’ cardiac tracings using a cardiac programming unit under the supervision of a cardiologist. The authors found that no patient experienced significant clinical interference in sensing and pacing functions. Minor inference was noted in the telemetry of the cardiac programming unit while the ultrasonic scaler and bath were in use, but not enough to impact patient safety.

Results of this prospective clinical study led the authors to conclude that commonly used electrical dental devices do not interfere with the sensing and pacing of cardiac pacemakers or ICDs. Furthermore, interference with the telemetry from the cardiac programming unit had no impact on patient safety during the delivery of dental care. The findings of this study may be beneficial in the development of clinical guidelines regarding dental management of patients who use these devices.

Hygiene Connection E-Newsletter

March 2015