Kimberly Lloyd breaks down the recent research.
Poor oral health can have significant impacts on other aspects of a patient’s general health, and their overall wellbeing. Diseases such as periodontal disease and caries result in pain, swelling and potentially tooth loss. But they could have an effect on your patients’ general health too. Periodontal disease has been associated with other systemic conditions. These include atherosclerotic vascular disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, pregnancy-related complications, osteoporosis, and kidney disease, as well as new research suggesting that it may impact brain health too. Whether one directly causes the other in every case is unclear, but research has shown that there is an association between these health issues and oral disease. It is important that patients have a good understanding of how best to maintain a healthy mouth, and the benefits of preventing compared to curing disease, to help minimise the rates of poor hygiene and therefore the effects on their oral and overall health.
Diabetes, in particular, is considered to have a true relationship with periodontal disease, with evidence suggesting that when one condition is treated, the other sees improvement. This suggests that patients who develop periodontal disease are put at a higher risk for developing diabetes at some stage. This means that it is important that both patients and clinicians are aware of the impact that diabetes can have on periodontal health and vice versa, to help minimise the effects of disease on systemic health.
New research shared by the American Stroke Association also suggests a link between poor oral health and brain health. Gingivitis and missing teeth are markers of poor oral health which, along with poor oral hygiene habits and insufficient plaque removal, increase the patient’s risk of having a stroke. Research suggests that those who are more prone to caries were at higher risk of cerebrovascular disease as shown by a 24 per cent increase in the number of lesions in the brain visible on MRI images.
Prevention is better than cure
Research indicates that, when it comes to managing oral diseases, prevention is better than cure. This means beginning oral health and hygiene education from a young age, ensuring all patients understand how to properly carry out oral hygiene routines, and manage their overall health. Patients should attend regular dental appointments to monitor and ensure a good standard of plaque removal and for regular assessments to ensure the early detection of diseases.
For some patients, attending regular appointments may be challenging. Be it due to expense, difficulty with accessing dental care, or lack of time, some patients may not attend until there is a problem. Because of this, when you are able to see patients, ensure you provide individualised oral hygiene advice, assessing the patient’s ability to carry out their routine and explain the importance of good compliance. Stress the benefits of daily interdental cleaning, not just brushing. And recommend the most appropriate tools for each patient, to give them the best chance at cleaning all surfaces of the teeth and reducing the risk of caries and gingivitis development.
Maintaining good oral hygiene
Maintaining high standards of oral hygiene is essential for preventing oral disease, maintaining oral health and also for protecting overall wellbeing.
Tandex offers a range of oral hygiene tools to encourage consistently high standards of oral hygiene. Including toothbrushes for all ages and a variety of interdental cleaning aids. The range of Flei interdental tools from Tandex make interdental cleaning simple. Available in a range of different sizes, identified by their ISO and passage hole diameter numbers, patients are able to easily select the appropriate size Flexi for each interdental space. Flexi interdental tools can be used in combination with Prevent Gel. The oral hygiene supplement contains chlorhexidine, the gold standard for oral disinfection, to help prevent oral diseases like gingivitis, as well as fluoride to strengthen the teeth and protect against caries.
Oral hygiene is key for the prevention of oral diseases. Patients who maintain good oral health are considered to be at a lower risk for developing systemic diseases, protecting their overall health and wellbeing. As a clinician, it is important to reinforce the importance of good oral hygiene at every dental appointment, and ensure your patients have the tools they need to carry out their oral hygiene routines effectively. With more research being carried out concerning the links between oral and overall health, it is important that both patients and clinicians are aware of the impact that poor oral health can have on the rest of the body.
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