"We are all specialists in the Health Sciences. We all have the same common goals related to the betterment and safeguarding of the health of all people."—
Esther Wilkins, hygiene educator
How many times have you had a patient with a sudden change in periodontal health, only to discover he had recently been diagnosed with diabetes? What about your patients with dry mouth? Could medications, an autoimmune disease, or the patient's cardiovascular condition be the foundation? And just how important is saliva? Yes, it is the human body's waterfall, but what secrets does it hold? Finally, what degree of influence do nutrition and oral habits have in the mouth? This issue focuses on the connection between health and dental wellness.
It's time
We have reached a time in dentistry where our profession's emphasis on the patient's whole-body health needs to be first and foremost. It is not about esthetics all the time. Currently, we continue to identify and recognize more systemic disease presentations and their relationship to the oral environment. Also, with more than 480 known medications that have "some effect" on the oral landscape, it is amazing to distinguish these related interactions.
The mouth is more than an opening; it is the portal to body health. As dental professionals, not only do we need to be keenly aware of these connections, but we also need to gain a new respect for our diagnostic abilities. Welcome working with members of the medical community and partner with your patients to achieve better health. Understand that dentists see their patients more often than medical physicians do, and with that fact it becomes imperative that we take on a more prominent role in our patients' overall well-being. Bring the best to your patients by utilizing the available diagnostic tools: saliva testing, glucose testing, oral illumination, brush biopsy, and body scanning. Embrace the newest diagnostic technology, make it a standard of care, and give your patients their deserved health advantage.
Women dentists have unique and special relationships with their patients. With this benefit, we naturally can guide and nurture our patients to improved health.
Use your gifts!
Lori Trost, DMD
Dr. Trost is the managing editor of Woman Dentist Journal. She can be contacted by email at [email protected].
We welcome letters to the editor. Please email your letters to Dr. Trost. Include your name and the city and state where you practice.