"Patients do not always seek the periodontal care they require because they are not aware of the long-term and potentially dangerous implications of untreated gum disease," notes Samuel Low, DDS, president of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP).
"It's still unclear whether periodontal disease can directly cause systemic diseases. But sharing basic information about the link between a healthy mouth and a healthy body makes patients more aware of the increasing importance of good oral care," says Low.
These tips can help get the conversation started:
- Ask and inform patients about their periodontal risk factors, including family history, smoking, stress, diabetes, pregnancy, menopause, and certain medications.3
- Give patients basic feedback about the health of their gums and why it's important to take care of them. Many patients are unaware that periodontal disease is a bacterial infection or that 3-out-of-4 adults eventually develop some form of it, according to the AAP.
- When you see or foresee a periodontal problem, use the opportunity to inform patients about the recent research linking oral health with overall health.
- Give each patient a personalized recommendation for their oral home care regimen based on their most recent exam and health status.
- Offer them simple brochures about periodontitis, its connection to overall health and ways to prevent and treat the disease.
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The Mouth-Body Connection
In the past decade, research
has connected periodontal
disease to:4
- Cardiovascular disease—
2x more likely in patients with periodontal disease
- Low-birthweight babies—
7x more likely among women with periodontal disease
- Diabetes—
Complications and elevated blood sugars more likely in patients with periodontal disease
Note: Not all research studies have had findings consistent with these reported by the American Academy of Periodontology. Also, no definitive causal effect has been established thus far between periodontal and systemic diseases.
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