Dentists Can Check for Oral Signs of Disease
March 21, 2007
Routine screening for oral signs of disease can save lives, but only 7 percent of dentists offer mouth and neck exams, according to a U.S. dentist.
Dr. Gwen Cohen-Brown, an assistant professor of dental hygiene at New York City College of Technology, says hygienists, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and hospital HIV/AIDS counselors should routinely conduct periodontal evaluations and oral cancer screenings as well as recognize the clinical signs of such systemic diseases as HIV/AIDS.
Dental health providers can be the first line of care when it comes to oral health, Cohen-Brown said in a statement.
The mouth is the portal to the body and a reflection of general health, she said.