Oral-Systemic Health

Bacteria are a well-known cause of oral disease and infection, but new research is examining the relationship between different bacteria in the mouth to see how they interact and, ultimately, tell researchers how bacteria combine to affect overall health.

Vibrant, energetic and fitness-conscious, Sandy Wexler, a pediatric nurse who appeared to be in perfect health, was shocked to learn during her routine dental check up that she had a large suspicious lump on the right side of her neck. Sandy had not noticed anything different about her neck until that moment and thought it must be simply a swollen lymph node due to a subclinical infection of some kind. She assumed a course of antibiotics would easily remedy the situation.

As November is set aside as National Diabetes Month, special attention was paid to its effects on dental patients and what dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants should know during a panel discussion at the recent American Dental Association Annual Session in Washington, D.C.

Pregnancy is stressful enough without having to worry about a child’s future dental health. But, researchers now say, mothers may need to be thinking about just that.

Incorporating oral systemic health knowledge and practice is becoming more important when it comes to improved dental and medical patient care and outcomes. The growing use of “next generation” EHRs will support its adoption into practices and groups.

The earliest study on the effect of inflammation on stroke was published in 1986. But while dental professionals are aware of this information, they may not always practice it, says Dr. Tim Donley, who specializes in periodontics, dental implants, gum disease and oral medicine at his practice in Bowling Green, Ky.

Somewhere along the way, something really bizarre happened: The mouth got separated from the rest of the body. After all, we have dentists, and we have physicians. We have dental insurance and we have medical insurance.