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Dentists in the USA are joining forces with doctors to try and improve standards of general and oral health.
A recent study revealed that almost 20 million Americans visited their dentist in 2008, prompting dentists to take a larger role in the prevention and treatment of medical conditions. Many dentists are now offering medical screening tests in addition to traditional dental services.
Dr Dawn West, from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, said that dentists are in an ideal position to detect early warning signs of medical conditions, as well as dental diseases, as the mouth is the “gateway to the human body.”
Dr West said that dentists can detect conditions such as diabetes, cancer and heart problems, by looking out for signs of inflammation, bleeding, sores, redness in the gums and dry mouth. Some dentists are also offering sugar tests at their clinics, which involve simple blood or urine tests to measure sugar levels in the body.
Blood pressure testing is also becoming increasingly commonplace at dental offices and Dr Jason McCargar routinely tests his patients’ blood pressure to ensure that they are fit and healthy and able to go through with treatment. In the past he has had patients who have been unable to have treatment because their blood pressure is high, increasing the risk of complications.
Oral cancer is also a major concern for dentists, who look out for signs of sores, abnormal swellings and red or white patches in the mouth. Dr West said that spotting early warning signs enables dentists to send patients for further tests quickly, ensuring that patients are treated as early as possible.
