Is it normal for anesthesiologists to ask about dental health?

Not Unusual: In the event of a planned general anesthetic, some form of oral airway is used to protect breathing passages and assure that the anesthesia gets delivered safely. Loose teeth or poor dentition may increase your risk. So, questions related to your airway anatomy certainly seem appropriate. A good anesthesiologist will take a look, too.

Yes it is: That is because dental trauma during general anesthesia is a common occurrence. Fixed or removable dental work could become dislodged and may be ingested causing serious complications. Most dental injury is associated with preexisting poor dental health. The most common injuries are fractures of crowns and partial dislocations.

Yes: An anesthesiologist is especially interested in the mouth as it is a main conduit for your airway. They will assess your airway which includes looking into the mouth and your oral structures. If you have a lot of dental work, there may be a risk for minor trauma to teeth or restorations. Removable prosthesis such as dentures pose a danger during surgery which they would want to be aware of.

Dental: Dentures, loose teeth can be dangerous foreign bodies if dislodged and get into airway. Chipped teeth should be acknowledged before surgery, in order for the patient to be aware that damage was not done during procedure. Rotten teeth can poses danger during cardiac valve surgery and should be treated in advance. Large teeth can present obstacle during intubation.

Yes: I agree with a previous answer for this topic, but must add the follwoing. Under general anesthesia a breathing tube is placed into your airway (trachea). This is done using a metal blade so we can see what we are doing. Dental health can warn us that the teeth are loose or damaged so extra precautions can be taken to avoid further damage.

Not Common: I agree with the reasons for looking completely, but would not classify this as a common problem. Anesthesiologists go to great lengths during intubation to protect your dentition from injury. In emergency situations or difficult intubations however, the likelihood goes up.

Yes: They should, as they will be putting a tube into your trachea if you are undergoing general anesthesia. Also, it is important to know if there are any underlying , non-treated diseases or infections present, as they can be systemic. Certainly do not want to introduce and contamination into the lungs, or not be aware of a possible systemic problem originating from the mouth.