Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its impact on dentistry

The impact of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder is material in the dentistry field which not only centers its efforts on managing the oral health of the afflicted patients, prescribing proper medications, but also on raising awareness mainly through dental hygiene and smoking cessation. This literature review will explore the status and accomplishments of the field of dentistry with regards to battling COPD. The first section of the paper discusses the nature and dynamics of the disease which ranks between the third and fourth most common cause of death in the United States alone. Certain data trends from 1970 until 2002 showed double the death rates caused by the disease, and that exposure to environmental or occupational risk factors (e.g. dust, fumes, etc.) must be seriously considered for the effective management of COPD. The pressure of COPD management is great among dental practitioners who must ensure the safety of patients by providing the most suitable drug regimen and having a well-coordinated dental practice (i.e. with other health practitioners) to avoid exacerbation of the disease which often leads to hospitalization. The latter is often the result of oral devices or materials that are often comprised of small objects which might be swallowed or aspirated into the oropharynx of the patient when proper positioning during dental check-ups is not properly performed. Dentists must also make sure that they are able to gain the patient’s confidence and to avoid patient reluctance during dental care. Numbers and statistics also reveal that an estimated 24 million of the population in the United States is afflicted by COPD, and that is from 2015 alone. It is also prevalent among the male population which has a death rate of 83 per 100,000, while the death rate among women is 57 per 100,000. Immediate treatment of COPD is also emphasized to prevent hospitalization rates from rising, and as far as dental practice is concerned, they are often aware of CODP patients which number approximately 130 out of 2000. Smoking cessation is considered the best preventive measure in COPD management. Educating patients on the real dangers involved with smoking will help encourage them to quit while promoting better oral health. The field of dentistry is constantly responding to the challenges of COPD, and significant breakthroughs have already been achieved due to research efforts on COPD management. Through professional coordination with other fields in the healthcare system, it is with great hope that dental practitioners will contribute more to the alleviation of patient conditions and providing improved quality of life