In whatever way we consume news today, one factor is evident. Discord, division, antagonism, and even outright hatred are everywhere. We seek to include and yet we exclude. We seek to be diverse, yet we want everyone to think like we do. We seek to be non-judgmental, yet we judge others constantly and cancel them if they do not fit our narrative.
The stress of this discord can seep into our everyday lives. How do we regain the spirit of cooperation, collaboration and synergy? We can turn off our news sources, stay away from social media, spend more time with our families, our friends and in natural surroundings. And as oral care physicians, we can retreat into the collaborative space that we can find in our practices.
Dentistry has always been collaborative between GPs and specialists, working together through complex treatment plans. What is new is the increased cooperation and connection with our medical colleagues. The oral-systemic link has finally made inroads with physicians. Inflammation is the factor that links many diseases of aging including diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease. Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease that contributes to the overall inflammatory burden in systemic health and so impacts overall health. Physicians are now getting this. Hygienists are getting this. And slowly but surely…dentists are getting this.
This issue of Oral Health will sweep you into the possibilities that abound in integrating medical connections into dental practice. Take a peek:
Salivary biomarkers have emerged as an easy, non-invasive approach for the early detection and monitoring of oral diseases. In the coming months, a new product will be available that can screen the degree of inflammation in patients’ saliva to establish how well they are responding to treatment. Since inflammation is the factor that links many diseases of aging, this has an impact on patients’ systemic health.
Vitamin D is a key nutrient that plays a significant role in regulation of the immune and skeletal systems. Vitamin D deficiency can impact teeth and the periodontium and should be corrected prior to undertaking major dental treatment.
New concepts of chronotherapy suggest administering medications or treatments at specific times of the day based on the circadian clock’s modulation of physiological processes. This can affect clinical outcomes.
The dental laser has recently become the user-friendly soft tissue handpiece providing enhanced healing and better surgical results.
Interprofessional collaboration with colleagues in medicine and pharmacy can teach us how to counsel patients on the prevention of HPV-related head and neck cancers.
Antiresorptive medications for bone cancers and other bone diseases may impair the integration of dental implants and reduce implant survival. Here again, systemic conditions require close consultation with the patient’s primary health care provider.
Seek out connections with physicians. Play a greater part in your patient’s general health. This issue of Oral Health will help you escape the chaos of the everyday world and regain the spirit of cooperation, collaboration, and synergy.
About the Editor:
Dr Fay Goldstep has lectured extensively on Proactive/Minimal Intervention Dentistry, Soft-Tissue Lasers, Bioactive Dental Materials, and Oral/Systemic Health. She has been a contributing author to four textbooks and has published more than 100 articles. Dr Goldstep sits on the editorial boards of Oral Health Journal, Dental Tribune US Edition, Dental Asia and REALITY. She has been listed as one of the leaders in continuing education by Dentistry Today since 2002. Dr. Goldstep is a consultant to a number of dental companies. She can be reached at goldstep@epdot.com.
Oral Health is pleased to present the voices of our Editorial Advisory Board members in this forum, which allows writers to share their personal thoughts, opinions, viewpoints and experiences. We want to ensure our tradition of serving our readers the very best in clinical and editorial content continues and we thank all the members of our Editorial Advisory Board for their efforts in making this happen. We welcome your comments and feedback. Feel free to share your thoughts with us through letters to the editor (tanya@newcom.ca).
