Concealed connections

It is all too easy for any dental clinician whilst bending over his or her patient and intently focused on treating a specific dental or gingival condition, to lose sight of its relation to the broader, holistic picture reflected in the patient’s overall well-being.

In fact, there is increasing evidence of a close connection between the health of the oral cavity and the general health of the patient. Dental professionals are uniquely placed for the early identification of a number of serious conditions affecting almost every part of the body.

The connection is effectively double-edged, with the relative ill health of the exposed oral tissue and mucosa serving either as a visible indicator of various existing systemic diseases, or else acting as a causal or predisposing factor for an apparently unrelated condition which may potentially have wide-reaching, damaging systemic consequences.

Among the more common conditions which manifest recognisable symptoms within the mouth are intestinal disease, chronic liver disease, anaemia and osteoporosis. A recent Japanese study has even suggested a causal link between tooth loss and memory loss, and the association of the severity of periodontal disease with that of rheumatoid arthritis is well documented and widely accepted among both medical and dental professionals.