Cuidados para el manejo del paciente epiléptico en la consulta odontológica

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by an abnormal electrical transmission of impulses in the brain, the patient tends to have repeated seizures, however, they are reversible. During the dental office examination, the epileptic patient may experience a seizure or have an epileptic status. It is essential for the dentist to be trained in handling this type of disorder, know its characteristics, and perform the appropriate maneuvers to minimize complications such as trauma, asphyxia, among others. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have specific implications that affect the oral, psychosocial and general health of the patient. The AEDs have effects in the oral cavity like gingival hyperplasia, xerostomia, ulcers, glossitis, increased rate of dental cavities, osteopenia, osteomalacia, decreased platelet aggregation, trauma, among others, which affect dental treatment. The careful medical history tracking of a patient, with specific questions, informs us of the condition of the patient, the risks and complications that can occur, and provides the needed information in order to develop an appropriate treatment plan. This literature review is a proposal to offer a guide for dentists to board and treat epileptic patients. ; La epilepsia es una enfermedad neurológica crónica que se caracteriza por una transmisión eléctrica anormal de impulsos en el cerebro, el paciente tiende a tener repetidos ataques convulsivos, sin embargo, son reversibles. Durante la consulta odontológica el paciente epiléptico puede presentar una crisis convulsiva o complicarse a un estatus epiléptico, es esencial que el odontólogo esté capacitado en el manejo de éste tipo de trastorno, conocer sus características, saber realizar las maniobras adecuados para minimizar complicaciones como traumas, asfixia, entre otras. Los fármacos antiepilépticos (FAE) tienen implicaciones específicas que afectan la salud oral, psicosocial y general del paciente. Los FAE tienen efectos en la cavidad oral como hiperplasia gingival, xerostomía, úlceras, ...