The Carter Blood Drive is happening soon here in Fort Worth, on August 5th. It will take place at the CBS Radio Station at 4131 N Central Expressway, Suite 1000, Dallas, TX. Donors must be 17 (16 with a parental consent form) and in good health. Donors must also weigh more than 110 pounds.
Donating blood is a great way to save up to three lives. However, important to avoid donating blood shortly after having a wisdom tooth extracted. Gum surgeries or tooth extractions can also make donating blood rather risky. You may technically still be “in good health,” but oral surgery can have more of an impact on your body than you might think.
In general, you should think about waiting up to 48 hours between having these procedures and donating blood. Sometimes a root canal can send bacteria into the blood stream. We’ll typically prescribe antibiotics to someone who has recently had a root canal for these reasons. You don’t want to pass these medicines (or these bacteria) on to someone whose body is in a vulnerable state.
In fact, sometimes it will take you more than 48 hours to finish these medications. Make absolutely certain you’ve finished all of them before you try to donate blood. Remember, anyone who is getting a blood donation has usually recently suffered from some sort of trauma. They may be on a course of carefully prescribed drugs. As you know, many drug interactions can cause a host of unwelcome and highly dangerous side effects.
You can donate blood before a procedure, but it’s still a good idea to wait a day or so. You want to give your body time to replenish the blood you’ve just given up. You can bleed quite a bit during any dental procedure (though sedation dentistry ensures you don’t have to feel like you’re bleeding a lot).
If you can’t make the current Carter Blood Drive there are always other ones. You can even schedule an appointment at certain blood donation centers at any time which might be convenient for you. Don’t be discouraged if a wisdom tooth extraction keeps you from participating in this particular blood drive.
You can always ask us about issues like this when you come in to get any procedure. Our dentists are happy to educate you about your oral health and how it impacts your life!
