Delta Dental of Iowa - Medical Histories Drive Dental Decisions

January 5, 2009

09/01/05 - Medical Histories Drive Dental Decisions

ANKENY, IA. September 1, 2005: Dental patients are usually willing to open up and say "aah," but they should be ready to say a whole lot more, especially about their medical histories. Dentists say that any information patients give about their overall health, lifestyles, therapies, medications or dietary supplementation can only improve the likelihood of successful dental diagnoses and treatments.

Research has established a number of connections between oral health and other systemic conditions, including diabetes, pregnancy, respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, and oral cancer. Armed with knowledge of a patient's experience with these or other conditions, a dentist can choose the most appropriate treatment options while also watching for potential oral health problems that can result from a physical illness or medication. In extreme cases, medical conditions can sometimes spark surprising clinical situations.

"It's important for patients to talk about all aspects of their health, even if they don't seem to be relevant to dental exams," said Dr. Ed Schooley, vice president and dental director, Delta Dental of Iowa.

"Dental patients should update their dentists regularly on their habits such as smoking, or the presence of any medical problems, as well as any changes associated with these conditions."

Oral cancer is a particular concern. There are more than 30,000 new cases and 8,000 associated deaths each year due to oral cancer, primarily because of its late diagnosis.

Dr. Bob Russell, state dental director, Iowa Department of Public Health, reports that patients who are over the age of 45, male, black, and are more than casual tobacco/alcohol users experience higher incidences of oral cancer. "These are the same patients who need to periodically visit a dentist for an oral cancer screening," Dr. Russell said.

In addition to sharing information about systemic illnesses, dentists recommend that patients report any heart-related information, asthma, allergies, orthopedic surgeries, chronic illnesses or histories of serious illnesses such as rheumatic fever.

All prescription or over-the-counter medicine and supplements should also be discussed, because many of these can cause dry mouth or other oral side effects. Some can interfere with certain dental treatments.

"Many patients see their dentists more often than their medical doctors, so dentists can really complement overall health maintenance, not just by delivering the right dental care, but also by keeping an eye out for signs of disease with oral symptoms," Dr. Russell said.

"On occasion, dentists even detect symptoms of disease that hasn't been diagnosed yet. Dentists and physicians can work together to help their patients stay well, but communication from the patient is crucial."

Delta Dental of Iowa is the largest and most experienced provider of dental benefits in the state. The Iowa company is a member of the Delta Dental Plans Association, a national organization of not-for-profit Delta Dental member companies. The national association is the largest dental benefits carrier in the nation, providing coverage to more than 45 million people in nearly 76,000 employer groups.