Making A Connection:Dental Health and Disease

Adapted from:C. Nathe, Dental Public Health: Contemporary Practice of the Dental Hygienist, 2nd Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall 2005.

Introduction

Dental Hygiene and the Medical Sciences

Prevention of DiseasesThe Mouth As the Mirror of the

BodyMaking the Connection…

History of Our Relationships

• Dentistry• Dental Hygiene• Dr. Alfred Fones

goes one step further.

History of Dental Disease and General Health

• Hippocrates: Infections of dental origin may be accompanied by serious systemic symptoms.

• U.S. Surgeon General 2000: Change perceptions regarding oral health and ideas so that oral health becomes an accepted component of general health.

Dr. Alfred Fones and the Dental Hygiene Movement

• It is no longer a theory that the service of the dental hygienist will improve the mouth health and general health of all whom she is permitted to serve.

Dental Hygiene’s Acceptance

• Hundreds of millions of dollars in public and private funds are expended to restore the sick to health, but only a relatively small portion of this amount is spent to maintain the health of well people even though it is definitely known that the most common physical defects and illnesses are preventable. (1916 – Dr. Alfred Fones)

Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General

• Oral diseases affect health and well-being.

• Safe and effective measures exist to prevent the most common diseases.

Surgeon General’s Report

• Lifestyle behaviors

• Oral health disparities

• More information is needed.

Surgeon General’s Report

• The mouth reflects general health and well-being.

Surgeon General’s Report

• Oral disease and conditions are associated with other health problems.

• Scientific research is the key.

Prevention: The Proven Effective Intervention• Dental hygiene at

an early age – before birth

• Early Head Start and Head Start Programs

• Dental hygiene integrations

Infections of the Oral Cavity• Dental caries and

periodontal diseases

Immune Response to Dental Infection

• Immune System responds to dental infections as it would to other body infections.

Inflammatory Response

• Inflammatory response to a typical gum infection

Pregnancy Outcomes

• Patients with periodontal disease have an increased risk of preterm births.

Pregnancy Outcomes

• Periodontal disease in the mother increases the risk of low-birth-weight babies.

Diabetes and Gum Disease

Cardiovascular Diseases and Dental Diseases• Increased risk of

cardiovascular diseases

Strokes and Oral Infections

• Relationship between strokes and oral infections

Arthritis and Oral Infections

• Arthritis and its relationship

Oral Infections and Respiratory Diseases

• Oral transmission of infections

Cancer and Oral Infections

• Interrelationships

Osteoporosis

Infective Endocarditis

• Oral infection• Premedication

HIV Infection

• Oral Manifestations• Candidiasis• Kaposi’s Sarcoma• White Hairy

Leukoplakia

HIV Infection

• Periodontal Disease

• Dental Cleaning Research

Other Relationships

• Sgogren’s Syndrome

• Xerostomia

Medication Interaction

• Oral Manifestations

Summary

Dental Hygiene and the Medical Sciences

Prevention of DiseasesThe Mouth As the Mirror of the

BodyMaking the Connection