The oral cavity is not only a window into general health, but also a site where diseases and medications can have a systemic impact, emphasizing the need for collaboration between dental and medical professionals to prevent complications and improve patient outcomes.
- The oral cavity is an important indicator of overall health. - Many diseases and medications affect oral health. - There may be a link between periodontal disease and systemic conditions such as atherosclerotic vascular disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, pregnancy-related complications, osteoporosis, and kidney disease. - Diabetes and periodontal disease have a bidirectional relationship. - Treating one condition can have a positive impact on the other. - Primary prevention is crucial in managing these chronic conditions. - Collaboration and communication between dentists, family physicians, and primary care providers are essential for maximizing patient benefits.
This is from Texas Dental Association in 2008 at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19363885/. This is from Medwave in 2017 at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28937973/.
Keywords: oral health, systemic health, periodontal disease, chronic conditions, primary prevention
Abstract
The oral cavity is the intersection of medicine and dentistry and the window into the general health of a patient. Hundreds of diseases and medications impact the oral cavity, and pathologic conditions in the mouth have a greater systemic impact than many providers appreciate. It is unclear whether there is true causality or just an association between periodontal disease and certain other systemic conditions, including atherosclerotic vascular disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, pregnancy-related complications, osteoporosis, and kidney disease. Diabetes has a true bidirectional relationship with periodontal disease, and there is strong evidence that treating one condition positively impacts the other. A shared trait of periodontal disease and these medical conditions is that they are chronic conditions that take a long time to develop and become clinically significant. Primary prevention-treating the patient prior to the onset of symptoms, myocardial infarction, stroke, diabetic complications, or significant periodontal disease-is the challenge. Complications associated with these conditions cause significant morbidity and mortality and are incredibly costly to the healthcare system. Unfortunately, a lack of access to primary medical or dental care prevents some patients from engaging the system until a negative event has occurred. Despite the absence of clear evidence of causality and the direct impact of treatments, the consequences of these chronic conditions for the population are well understood. Dentists, family physicians, and all primary care providers must increase their collaboration and communication to maximize the benefit to patients.
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