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NHS dentistry and oral health update: patients with mental illness

4 mins read Opinions Special care dentistry
They begin by sharing, “It is an unacceptable fact that people with mental ill health are disproportionately affected by poor oral health. The international evidence is pretty stark, with the impact being both indirect (people with severe and enduring mental illness experiencing poorer oral health as a result of delayed treatment, access issues etc) and direct (the harmful effect of some symptoms of mental illness affecting oral health such as self-induced vomiting):

“It is true that providing oral care for patients with severe mental illness (for example psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) is not straightforward. However, through the use of tailored outreach and a trauma-informed approach to supporting people with SMI - by providing an environment where a person who has experienced trauma feels safe and can develop trust - there is an opportunity to better engage with this group and, in doing so, improve oral health outcomes.”

They end the opening remarks of the update by noting “For years we have campaigned to put the mouth back in the body. We hope that today's bulletin is a useful reminder to think of the mind, too.”

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