Making the difference

It is well known among dental practitioners that oral health has a strong association with general health, but patients may be less familiar with this. As such there is a need for patient awareness to be improved, particularly on the impact that neglecting their oral hygiene can have on the rest of the body.

Among adults, strokes are one of the leading causes of disability and mortality in the UK. Over 100k people have a stroke each year. Of major concern to dental practitioners is the link between oral disease and strokes: patients with periodontitis are around twice as likely to have a stroke, whilst patients who have had strokes are at a greater risk of infection in the oral cavity due to inadequate hygiene. Practitioners can help with both circumstances.