As Part of General Medicine, Mouth and Dental Care

Receiving basic medical treatment is sometimes severely hampered by poor oral health In response, several programs have combined dentists and physicians in one facility to offer basic medical care, which includes dental procedures.3

Due to the connection between gum disease and preterm birth and low birth weight, hygienists from Advantage Dental Plan visit clinics for Women, Infants, and Children to treat expectant mothers

Periodontal disease and dental cavities are only two of the many oral health issues that may be prevented with adequate treatment Only two of the numerous chronic diseases that can be made worse by poor dental health are heart disease and diabetes. Implementing public health initiatives like water fluoridation, school sealants, and other behavioral changes help reduce the occurrence of dental diseases

Timothy Martinez DMD recommended that primary care doctors are able to do oral cancer screenings, offer preventative care, and make systematic referrals to dental experts. Medicaid in certain states also pays for fluoride varnish treatments administered in medical offices.

The process of integrating dental care into primary healthcare, however, is typically time-consuming and difficult Over the course of two years, a woman with diabetes who suffered tooth pain because of an untreated gum infection often visited the emergency department To aid the patient in obtaining low-cost dental care and assistance with pharmaceutical co-payments, a social worker was called

In basic care, maintaining excellent oral health need to come first. The government may assist in lowering obstacles to oral health care in two ways: by funding dental coverage and by supporting training for conventional and unconventional practitioners including doctors, nurses, hygienists, and dentists Studies on effective messaging and activities to raise understanding of essential health information can also help improve people's access to care

Growing in popularity is the study of how oral health could be better integrated into primary care

Both the development of oral health delivery models that fall under the jurisdiction of primary care physicians and collaboration between dentistry and primary care providers are crucial. Additionally, it entails setting up a system for integrating preventative oral healthcare into common medical practice as well as managing dental referrals

To enhance patient care, a variety of dentistry and primary care specialists can collaborate These include community dental workers, nurses, expanded duty dental auxiliaries (EDDAs), general dentists, dental therapists, and dental hygienists These professionals could instruct patients and offer advice on oral hygiene and occlusion in addition to direct treatment