It is critical that dentists know that patients with cardiac conditions, including a prosthetic heart valve, should take antibiotics 30 to 60 minutes prior to certain invasive procedures, and administering them after care doesn't offer equivalent protection against infective endocarditis (IE).In the spring of 2021, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued a statement on the prevention of infective endocarditis, a bacterial infection that causes heart inflammation, noting that antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedures may prevent a very small number of endocarditis cases. Therefore, antibiotics only are recommended for patients at the highest risk of experiencing negative outcomes from infective endocarditis, including those with cardiac valve repair with devices like rings or clips, left ventricular assist devices or implantable heart, and congenital heart defects.The guidelines recommend a single dose of antibiotics to high-risk patients administered 30 to 60 minutes before procedures that involve manipulation of the gingival tissue, periapical region of the teeth, or perforation of the oral mucosa. If antibiotics aren't given before the procedure, the guidelines state they may be administered up to two hours after the procedure, according to the commentary.