One of the things that makes our patients so remarkable is how informed and committed they are to their health, understanding that oral health and whole body health are inseparable. Indeed, for those who seek out holistic or biological dental care, it’s par for the course. But among dental patients in general, it’s not the norm, as new research in JADA reminds.
The study analyzed responses to 190 post-care surveys completed by patients at a dental school clinic.
The results showed that 19.6% of patients did not know whether they had received a diagnosis of periodontitis and 13.7% were unaware whether they had undergone any treatment for it.
That’s a pretty significant communication gap – though in fairness, many if not all of these patients were likely seen by supervised dental school students rather than veteran dentists. Chances are that the dentists-in-training were still learning how to talk effectively with their patients. There may not have been any kind of established dentist/patient relationship.
Even so, not understanding if you have gum disease can have serious consequences. Not only does the chronic inflammation triggered by infection destroy the soft and hard tissues that support the teeth; it raises your risk of more than a dozen systemic health problems. These include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cognitive decline (including Alzheimer’s), mental health issues, chronic kidney disease, and more.
There was a silver lining to the JADA study, though: Patients with gum disease showed more awareness about oral health.
Patients who reported having periodontitis had a better understanding of what a periodontal pocket was than healthy patients (79% vs 48%) and agreed smoking tobacco products could worsen the condition (92% vs 69%). Patients who had received a diagnosis of periodontal disease were more concerned about their teeth (eg, esthetics, tooth loss, function, and discomfort) than healthy patients (84.3% vs 58.9%).
Notably, this study doesn’t appear to be an outlier. Other studies also suggest that patient knowledge about their oral health could be better. A 2024 study in the Journal of Periodontal Research found that in a cohort of more than 8,500 French adults with at least one chronic health issue, almost 75% (73.9%) didn’t know about the perio/systemic link. This was true regardless of the patients’ socio-economic status, periodontal health, or frequency of dental visits.
Here at Pride Dental, we want all of our patients to be as fully informed as possible – about their own oral health and how to improve it, as well as about the ways in which conditions in their mouth may be affecting other aspects of their health and well-being. That’s why education plays such a big role in our practice.
It’s also the foundation of informed consent – your right to choose or refuse treatment based on your understanding of the options available to you, along with their risks and benefits. The more you understand about your teeth, gums, and jaws, and their relationship to your overall health, the more capable you are of making the health decisions that are best for you.
In fact, this blog is one part of our educational mission. Search our archives, and you’ll find more than a decade’s worth of information on biological dentistry and mouth/body health. It’s why we keep an interactive meridian tooth chart on our site – a way for folks to explore the network of subtle energy pathways that connect each of your teeth to the rest of the body.
When you come in for your first visit, the educational tables turn. It’s our opportunity to learn about you as an individual, as well as assess your current oral health so we can develop a treatment plan that perfectly matches your needs, priorities, and values. This includes
- Evaluation of your full medical and dental history.
- Digital x-rays.
- A blood pressure check.
- A thorough exam of your mouth.
- A full periodontal exam.
- Oral cancer screening.
- Oral hygiene coaching to optimize your home care.
We want you to leave our office with a thorough understanding of your current oral health and a game plan for making it the best it can be, so it can support your whole body health. Whether discussing complex conditions like TMJ disorders or the benefits of ceramic dental implants or the steps we take to keep you safe when removing old mercury amalgam fillings, we take the time to explain not just what we’re recommending but why we’re recommending it and how it connects to your overall health.
Communication is a two-way street, of course. We encourage you to share your concerns, ask questions, and be an active participant so that you have all the information you need to make confident decisions about your care. We’ll work with you every step of the way to prioritize an individualized course of treatment that supports whole-body health and well-being.
