EFP points out the importance of collaboration between periodontists and family doctors
In a recent study “Association between periodontal diseases and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and respiratory diseases” published in The Journal of Clinical Periodontology which is the consensus report of the Joint Workshop by the EFP and WONCA Europe, the authors explain importance of collaboration between periodontists and family doctors.
Dr. David Herrera states “Simple interventions by oral health professionals can greatly improve overall health and reduce systemic risks and complications. Having better oral hygiene can prevent many chronic diseases and reduce the risk of complications. Working together with family doctors will clearly benefit our patients and the public.”
Prof. Shapira provides an instance: “Screening patients for diabetes at the dental office can save lives and allows physicians and dentists to work as a team. By allowing early diagnosis of diabetes, we can reduce complications and contribute to our mission to improve health, quality of life and, ultimately, to save lives.”
Prof. Vinker explains further: “Family doctors and dentists should work together to prevent, detect, and treat major systemic and periodontal diseases. Together we can help combat many conditions: cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension, obesity, diabetes, smoking and hyperlipidemia. Everyone benefits from better oral health and better oral hygiene. One of the key messages I got from our workshop was that if we detect and diagnose periodontal diseases early, we can avoid complex treatments, such as surgical procedures.”
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