Cardiovascular surgery and the importance of dental consultation

Introduction: A health system is based on meeting the needs of the population, which presents cultural and social differences when defining these needs and health-related problems and when using available health care services.Methods: A bibliographic review was conducted using the terms "health system", "dental consultation", "cardiovascular surgery" to search databases.Development: Valve surgery involves a comprehensive patient care process that covers from the request to leaving the surgical center, with the aim of providing information, comfort and safety. This process includes several phases such as surgical indication and presurgical evaluation, whose purpose is to identify risk factors and optimize perioperative care to reduce morbidity and mortality.Conclusions: The oral cavity can contribute to the development of pathologies such as caries and periodontal disease, which are risk factors for cardiovascular conditions. Infective endocarditis (IE), a bacterial infection of the heart valves, may be associated with oral foci in 10-20% of cases. For this reason, organizations such as the American Heart Association recommend dental consultation before valve surgery to minimize risks.