Why is the dentist asking me all of these health questions?

I hear this question once in a while at the dental office.  Why in the world do I have to fill out this huge list of questions about my health, my medications, my surgeries, etc?  I'm just getting my teeth filled, or cleaned...

Frequently people forget the simple truth: The mouth is connected to the body.  Just because it's "just your teeth", it doesn't mean it's not connected.  We as a society have, at some point in history, stopped considering the health of the mouth as part of the overall health of the body.

The simple and obvious reason for the dentist to need health information is that at nearly every visit, we adminster drugs.  The anesthetics used to numb teeth for fillings, crowns, and other procedures are medications, and it's important for us, as healthcare providers, to know exactly what drugs may already be in the body prior to administering more.  Secondarily, there are other health conditions, such as heart, joint, and blood issues that may affect whether or not we can treat a patient without consulting with that person's physician.

On top of all this is the growing medical knowledge that oral health is linked to the health of the entire body.  We know that diabetes is connected to oral health problems, and we know that oral health problems contribute to systemic problems like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and even alzheimer's.

So, next time you visit the dentist's office and the receptionist gives you a health history to update or fill out, please remember that your dentist needs all the information he can get in order to give you the treatment you deserve.  Questions about this?  Feel free to ask.  Email our office at info@benchmark-dental.com.  You can also visit our website for some educational videos, which can be found at http:www.http://benchmark-dental.com/patientEducation.html