Study Claims Dentists Could Aid in Healthcare
This article might seem a bit out of place to the average person who thinks of the dentist as a professional who only worries about teeth. The implications of this article have actually been emphasized for quite some time now. When I attended dental school they taught us to consider ourselves a “physician of the mouth”. Why is this attitude in schools?
As the linked article will show, there are a number of individuals who may not see a medical doctor. These same individuals may, however, go to the dentist more regularly. You may wonder why you need to bother filling out the medical history form when you go to the dentist. Often times something as simple as the dentist checking your blood pressure at the initial visit can identify individuals who may have undiagnosed high blood pressure (or hypertension). Simple questions about the way an individual feels may identify someone who is at risk for diabetes (such as excessive urges like thirst, hunger, urination; significant weight changes).
As I have been attempting to touch upon with previous topics, there is a distinct oral-systemic (pertaining to or affecting the body as a whole) relationship. Conditions of the mouth like infection can affect the systemic health of the body. Also equally important is the fact that there are a number of health conditions, that when present in the body, can have manifestations in the oral cavity. The following are a few examples:
- individuals with poorly controlled diabetes can have more serious than expected gum disease, bone loss, or abscesses that would be apparent when a dentist does a routine oral examination
- some auto-immune disorders such as Pemphigoid, a blistering condition of the skin that can become serious or life-threatening and may require steroid treatment and medical referral, can be very obvious in the mouth.
Although a dentist may not be able to treat diagnosed systemic conditions, I consider all dentists essential participants in the health-care web. Some conditions or risk factors can be identified and appropriate recommendations for a referral could be discussed early on. Taking care of your own health is an interdisciplinary effort that may require some work, but I would like to think the ability to take charge of your quality of life and the way you feel each day is worth the effort. If dentists can play a small part in that larger picture, don’t you owe it to yourself to invest in your health and take care of your body?
Kevin Suzuki, D.M.D., M.S.