Increasing Collaboration between Dentistry and Medicine
Author(s): Timothy G Donley, Kristopher S Pfirman*, Mohammed Kazimuddin and Aniruddha Singh
Abstract
The most common form of periodontal disease is chronic inflammatory periodontal disease (CIPD). CIPD, a multifactorial disease, begins with a microbial infection on tooth surfaces, followed by a host mediated destruction of adjacent tissues. It is well accepted in medicine that inflammation plays a contributory role in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Interventional therapy to reduce CVD risk includes reducing sources that are contributing to the burden of systemic inflammation. Medical health care providers who care for patients with the systemic diseases potentially affected by oral inflammation, including those with known risk factors, must alter existing examination protocols to include realistic, time-efficient screening for oral inflammation and then appropriate referral to dental providers for definitive diagnosis and therapy. A system to screen patients for the potential for having oral inflammation may be the most realistic option to achieve the best overall wellness for our patients by integration and collaboration.
Condensed abstract: The most common form of periodontal disease is chronic inflammatory periodontal disease (CIPD). Medicine has long recognized that increased levels of systemic inflammation play a role in the development and progression of many of the chronic diseases. A medical screening medical/dental collaborative checklist should include the medical conditions that are potentially affected by oral inflammation. The two-way relationship between periodontal and systemic diseases suggests that there are distinct patient categories that would benefit from medical screening for potential oral inflammation.