Zahnmedizinische Aspekte in der Palliativmedizin. Moglichkeiten und Grenzen zahnmedizinischer Betreuung und die speziellen Anforderungen an den Zahnarzt

Palliative medicine deals with patients in the final phase of their life. These terminally ill patients should receive a treatment which focuses on the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual. The treatment should focus on the improvement of the Quality of Life (QoL) instead of straining curative treatment approaches. It should also deal with the needs of the families. In palliative medicine an interdisciplinary approach is inevitable and imperative. Although an oral care provider should be a member of the palliative care team this is not always the case in palliative care settings. The prevention of infections, treatment of xerostomia, mucositis and candidiasis as well as the removal of sore spots are some of the important aspects of palliative oral treatment. They can have an immediate positive impact on the patients OHRQoL and their comfort in general. The particular dental work profile requires a practitioner with empathy and professional experience