Reducing vulnerabilities in long-term care

Ontario has struck a commission on long-term care. The UK government did the same before the pandemic. No doubt, there will be other investigations given the terrible clustering of the pandemic in these venues. COVID-19 showed what we already knew — in the words of the Ontario government, “the system is broken”. So if you…

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Poor oral health & chronic kidney disease

Judging from American data, about 25% of Canadian healthcare spending for seniors is to manage chronic kidney disease. It is perhaps the top burden on our hospitals. Moreover, the pandemic is making it worse. Between 20% and 40% of COVID-19 patients in the ICU sustain kidney damage. Many patients on dialysis only start this treatment…

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Stroke and oral inflammation

Chronic oral inflammation (gingivitis and periodontal disease) is a well-known risk contributor to stroke. But are periodontal surgery and scaling effective in reducing the risks of stroke? A new, very large retrospective study of middle-age Koreans with oral inflammation indicates these procedures are helpful in reducing stroke. Data from Korean medical insurance claims show that…

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One slide says it all

“Increasing evidence has shown that the oral microbiota is closely related to the physical state of humans, such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer. In the future, oral microbiota will become a new target for improving the physical state of humans“. Lu, M et al. 2019. Science Direct. So what does this mean? Have a look…

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Relevant oral healthcare

A recent report in Forbes is disturbing. Widespread hunger in our aging Boomers. Already half of older Americans are malnourished or at risk of bein malnourished.

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Health hubs & poor oral health

CVS, the large chain of pharmacies and Minute Clinics in the US, is testing a new concept in managing chronic disease affordably and conveniently. It is integrating a number of services use in chronic disease management into “health hubs”. Here is a description:

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Dental decay — an important inflammation

A recent study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that “oral infections in childhood appear to be associated with the sub-clinical carotid atherosclerosis seen in adulthood.” The data are compelling. The presence of any sign of oral infection in childhood was associated with increased atherosclerosis by almost twofold, independent of normal…

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Oral dysbiosis and COPD

Julie DiNardo, RDH (Hamilton, ON) reports a patient with long-term respiratory disease has recently improved lung function. the patient’s respirologist and the patient are unsure why the improvement. So the patient asked Julie if it has anything to do with Prevora, an antiseptic which she has been receiving in Julie’s practice for the past 5 years.

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Ping pong

…the (possibly deadly) game of bouncing patients between the dentists and the physician.

How So? Well, as explained as an example by a Forbes article, diabetics are considered the exclusive domain of physicians. Gum infections require a visit to the dentist. Yet these 2 chronic, inflammatory disease are interrelated.

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Rethinking geriatric oral healthcare

Hygienists often tell me their “horror stories” in serving older patients in retirement residences and nursing homes. These stories cover the waterfront – rampant decay among those with dementia, can’t get past the front door, gross inflammation in the mouth, preoccupation by the nursing team and unwillingness by the family to pay for better oral health until it is too late.

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