Books on alternative medicine fill the shelves at the local bookstore.  Authors, gurus, doctors and "healers" work the talk show circuit.  Late night television info-mercials pitch the latest vitamins, herbs, diets and exercise programs.  More and more, alternative medicine fights for a person’s attention.  I am a fan of taking vitamin and herbal supplements, but as with everything, they should be taken in moderation and only when someone knows the facts about what each will do. 

Patients should always tell their dentist about any medications and supplements they are taking and how much they take.  From vitamins to echinacea, everything a person puts in their body causes a certain reaction, and some alternative medicines are very potent.  That reaction can interfere with medications a dentist gives or enhance them to cause a much stronger reaction.  If the dentist doesn't know what drugs or supplements have been taken, he or she will not know how to protect a patient from possible substance interactions.

Even the most common herbal and vitamin supplements can have serious side effects for some patients.  Blood thinners, such as the popular ginko biloba and even vitamin E can be dangerous when taken with aspirin, which also acts as a blood thinner.  Because this may cause a situation in which some patients' blood will have difficulty clotting, serious surgical procedures should be avoided after taking such a combination of supplements.

Vitamins can cause concerns as well, if you aren't careful.  Vitamin C, when taken daily in the thousands of grams can cause problems and weaken the efficiency of anesthesia.  In other words, it is harder to get someone numb.  On the other hand, if a patient is taking a calming supplement, such as Kava Kava or St. John's Wort, the effects of dental anesthesia may be enhanced and cause problems.

Dandelion and bearberry are both herbal supplements that are said to work as a diuretic.  These can interact with and over-enhance the effects of prescription diuretics, which can lead to dehydration, loss of potassium in the body, and even disrupt heart-rhythm.

Many patients who take alternative medicines may not tell their dentist. They may not think it is important or they are afraid the dentist will not respect their decision to take herbal medications. The truth is, as herbal medications become more popular, many dentists are beginning to use them in their practices.  Your dentist might even have an alternative, herbal solution for you.

It is important that the dentist has all the information, including a patient’s medical history, herbal medication and conventional drugs they are taking.  If the dentist knows a person is taking a medication that can interact with something he or she is planning on giving, there are a variety of solutions from which to choose. A dentist may have the patient stop taking the herbal medication until the treatment is over, or choose a different drug for treatment, if one is available.

I take supplements myself and believe, in many instances, they can do a lot of good.  The important thing is to always let your health care provider know if you take them as well.  For your own good, it’s essential that they know!