Emerging Concepts in Periodontitis and Overall Health: Separating Fact from Fiction
(Full or Half Day, Dentists, Hygienists, Assistants)
Course Description
“For many years, medical and dental clinicians have treated the oral cavity as if it is a separate entity from the rest of the body. However, oral health is part of systemic health. Inflammation and infections in the oral cavity are not confined to the mouth and can affect other areas of the human body. A growing body of evidence points to a wide array of systemic disturbances that are associated with periodontitis. Some associations are controversial. How strong is the evidence? What can we believe? This course examines the evidence associated with the effects of periodontitis on non-oral distant sites and disease processes. We also examine various systemic diseases and medications that have a direct impact on oral health, as well as the role of diet in disease progression. “
Course Objectives
- To increase knowledge about many systemic diseases that have oral implications
- To learn the latest information about the association of periodontal disease and non-oral disease
- To increase awareness of the importance of a thorough intraoral/extraoral examination
- To study various medications and their effects on oral tissues
- To understand the role of diet in the disease process
Course Topics
1) Evaluating the evidence
a) Studies and statistical power
b) Evidence pyramid
2) Systemic diseases associated with periodontal diseases
a) Cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis
b) Diabetes mellitus
c) Respiratory diseases
d) Pregnancy factors
e) Chemotherapy and radiation effects on oral health
f) Prostate cancer treatment
g) Osteoporosis
h) Rheumatoid arthritis
i) Head and neck cancer
3) Lifestyle factors and oral health
a) Tobacco use
b) Recreational drug use
c) Excessive alcohol use
d) Oral piercings and systemic health
4) Systemic diseases with oral implications
a) Crohn’s disease
b) AIDS
c) HPV
d) Herpes
e) Pernicious anemia
f) Oral neoplasms
g) The intraoral/extraoral exam
5) Oral effects of various prescription drugs
a) Immunosuppressives
b) Anti-seizure medications
c) Hypertensive medications
d) Bisphosphonates
6) The role of diet and periodontal disease
a) Does diet really influence the course of periodontal disease?
b) Obesity and inflammation
c) Dietary carbohydrates and dental-systemic disease
d) Probiotics and xylitol
e) Foods that fight inflammation
7) Wrap-up and questions
