This is a time when patients may be consuming alcohol to celebrate, and yet many are unaware of its serious effects on oral and systemic health. From a pharmacology aspect, alcohol can be hazardous, particularly when we don’t plan for it during dental treatment.
In this Medical History Mysteries, Drs. Tom Viola and Pamela Maragliano-Muniz discuss how alcohol influences platelets and liver enzymes, as well as what to be aware of when using analgesics and anesthetics in dentistry.
Other Medical History Mysteries you might also enjoy:
- There’s a wrong way to take a gelcap?!
- The correct recipe for mixing ibuprofen and acetaminophen
- Don’t hurt the baby! Selecting the safest local anesthetic for pregnant patients
Editor's note: Originally posted in 2021 and updated regularly
