Introduction of Vital signs

Introduction of Vital signs

Vital signs include temperature, respiration and blood pressure. Knowing V/S reading helps the dental team identify the clients state of health. Knowing the V/S helps them identify early health problems that might arise during or after the dental treatment.

Some techniques that are used by the Dentist or Dental Hygienist are auscultation ( listening directly or indirectly the sounds produced by the body), palpation, and inspection. An acceptable range of vital signs indicates WNL ( within normal limits) health status. Some normal values for vital signs in children and adults will be presented in the table below.

• If the client is new we have to take baseline readings.
• Anualy is recommended even if the client is WN Limits.
• Every time a significant health change is noticed in clients.
• Before giving any local anesthetic.
• Before the administration of general anesthetic, nitrous oxide.
• Before and after surgical interventions.

Things that need to be considered by the dental practitioner during V/S assessment.

• Try minimizing factors that ca affect V/S readings. ( i.e. Warm and humidity in the room while assessing the temperature of the client)

• Don’t use the same blood pressure cuff between adults and children since the adult cuff is bigger then a child size, therefore it wont be accurate.

• Try minimizing stressful environment, be gentle and explain the procedure to the patient. Show you are caring and you are competent in what you are doing. ( this will give the client an assurance and will decrease anxiety)

Related Posts

• March 19, 2009 -- Knowing the blood pressure before dental treatments (2)
• March 16, 2009 -- Reading the pulse (0)
• May 14, 2009 -- CPR & BSL in dental emergency (1)