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 once their kidneys fail. There is often a long lead time in which this chronic, expensive disease can be ameliorated.

And that’s where improving oral health comes in. A recent pilot study showed that lowered oral inflammation improved kidney function.

Getting the patient with chronic kidney disease to the dentist or hygienist is not a likely event. Many of these patients are just “hanging-in-there”, and have no insurance nor budget for expensive oral healthcare.

But what about delivering a topical, painless antiseptic (Prevora) to the dialysis clinic which improves oral health quickly and affordably? Such an integration of care seems both sensible and helpful.