How to take care of dental problems of people with medical issues?

Posted Aug 28, 2022 by Dr. Mini Jose

Premature birth and low birth weight is sometimes linked to poor oral health. People with medical issues such as physical disabilities may have problems getting into any form of surgery. They may not even be comfortable sitting in the dental chair. Those who have learning disabilities may have inhibitions about going to the dentist. They will need counseling initially to boost their confidence. If it is a severe medical issue that the patient has, the dentist needs to take extra precautions too. The dentist should thoroughly enquire about the patients’ medical history and learn about the medicines they are taking, including regularly prescribed medicines. He should also get an idea of the allergies and recent surgeries that the patient underwent. It is also helpful if the dental team know about any concerns or anxieties the patient has, so that they can help to make the patient feel at ease. This information can be given by the patient's parents or friends. Some patients prefer to communicate directly with the dentist while some others may have other special needs like the help of a third party for communication. Dentists should be prepared to offer service in all these cases and treat the dental care of such people with empathy.

Old age brings many health problems in its wake and this includes dental heath ones too. Some of the common diseases of old people are diabetes, depression, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease. These diseases and their related medications make old people more vulnerable to oral diseases like periodontal disease, dental caries and oral precancerous and cancerous lesions. Older adults have degenerative changes that worsen with age and dental health is also affected. Dentists should update their skills in geriatric dentistry to cope with the rising needs of our senior citizens.