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Know your patients' lifestyle, dentists told

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Oral health experts are supporting government calls to ensure all health professionals take the opportunity to discuss a patient's lifestyle.

'If the healthcare profession and particularly the dental profession discussed with their patients how their oral health could be improved, I firmly believe we would see the number of developing dental diseases fall across a period of time'

First outlined in the Health and Social Care Bill, a panel of government advisers has recommended all health professionals 'make every contact count', a move met by criticism in some quarters of the health sector.

With oral health greatly affected by diet, exercise, smoking and drinking habits, the British Dental Health Foundation (BDHF) believes the move will hopefully encourage more people to consider how their lifestyle could be affecting not just their health, but also their oral health.

Previous research has shown frequent consumption of sugary foods and drinks can damage oral health, while studies have also demonstrated people who stay fit and healthy are 40% less likely to develop tooth-threatening gum infections that could lead to gum disease.

Mouth cancer also remains a big issue in the UK with the incidence of mouth cancer cases rising by 46 per cent since 1997.

An estimated 30,000 people will die from the disease over the next decade unless more is done to change lifestyles, especially attitudes to smoking, alcohol, diet and exercise – some of the main risk factors for mouth cancer

Chief executive of the Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, declared the charaity's support for the recommendations in order to drive oral health improvements across the UK.

Dr Carter said: 'We know people will only change their ways if they want to, but by approaching the topic of lifestyle on a regular basis, healthcare professionals will at least know they have given the patient the information needed to improve their health and wellbeing.

'Taking the time out to discuss a patient's smoking habit, alcohol consumption levels or poor diet could save lives, as all of those are associated with the risk of developing mouth cancer.

'Finding out that a patient doesn't brush their teeth two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste could potentially set them on the road to developing a good routine and save them having to endure restorative or emergency work later in life.

'If the healthcare profession and particularly the dental profession discussed with their patients how their oral health could be improved, I firmly believe we would see the number of developing dental diseases fall across a period of time.'

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"Taking the time out to discuss a patient's smoking habit, alcohol consumption levels or poor diet could save lives, as all of those are associated with the risk of developing mouth cancer." All this is very laudable and indeed what many of us do all the time - the reality though is that someone has to pay for the dentist's time; we are not all able to run charities and the most needy cases won't see the value in paying for this service. So I will be the first to admit - I try, but if I am banging my head against the proverbial brick wall I just don't go there again!

Posted by bertiesmile19 18/1/12 at 16:21

Quite. When do I fit in the bit I was TRAINED to do? There is going to be too much overlap of duties. How are GDPs going to feel when the nutritionist starting giving advice on crown and bridgework replacement?

Posted by Andrew Adey 18/1/12 at 19:32

When was the last time Dr Nigel Carter saw a patient?
How many UDA's (Nectar point) will the Dentists in the NHS get for it?

Posted by Expat 18/1/12 at 22:26

I always got my patients to fill in a medical history form ( something I have never been offered as a patient) but it is such an uphill struggle. Over 40 years I probably persuaded only a handful of patients to stop smoking. And as for alcohol! Sometimes with galloping caries I got them to write down everything they ate or drank, and they usually formed their own conclusion after that. But, we are up against the advertisers. You can't tell them that fruit juice erodes their teeth, because they are also being told it is good for them by "dieticians". Many patients also said " If smoking is really harmful, the Government would not allow it". One thing I got across sometimes with my intelligent younger patients was the concept that the government wanted them to die early, but not to be ill for a long time first. The National Curriculum does not help at all as far as I am concerned.

Posted by Martin Rooke-Matthews 19/1/12 at 07:54

Martin Rooke-Matthews wrote:
concept that the government wanted them to die early, but not to be ill for a long time first.

Thats a great line, thanks

Posted by Sithicus 19/1/12 at 18:30