today IDEM Singapore 06 April

news 7IDEM Singapore 2014—6 April odontal disease that have been found to contribute to systemic conditions? I think if you consider oral in- flammationandhowitarisesfrom periodontal disease then we can consider that any condition in the mouth that leads to inflammation can reach the rest of the body. The key here is that oral inflammation needs to be controlled. What are the responsibilities of dentists in this regard? I believe that it is the responsi- bility of general dentists and spe- cialist to recognise, diagnose and treat periodontal disease, to help patients prevent the disease, to promote healthier lifestyles and to help patients achieve better pe- riodontal health. If this can be achieved, we think there will be an overall positive effect on gen- eral health. What can dentists do to influ- ence that relationship posi- tively? I would start with patient edu- cation: teaching people how to take care of their mouth effec- tively on a daily basis. We also need to do careful prophylaxis of the mouth in order to reduce in- flammation or treat it if it occurs. Has awareness of the relation- ship between oral health and general health increased in dental practice? I generally think that more and more dentists are becoming aware of the relationship be- tween oral and general health. Medicine too is increasingly un- derstanding that these two fields are closely connected. We can helptheprofessionmoveforward through educational material or symposia, like here at IDEM, so thatoralcareprofessionalsarein- formed of current evidence and understand how they are a criti- cal part of taking care of people’s overall health. What should be done to in- crease awareness of the rela- tionship between oral health and general health, particu- larly in less developed regions such as Asia? My first thought would be to have well-written papers in the lo- cal dental journals summarising this concept, where we are in our thinking and knowledge, and whereweneedtogoashealthcare providers in the future. Another important thing would be present this concept and the evidence through programmes at local and regional dental meetings, so that people are informed of the rela- tionship. Thank you very much for the interview. AD Editorial/ DTAsiaPacificLtd. AdministrativeOffice c/oYontoRisio CommunicationsLtd 20AHarvardCommercial Building 105-111ThomsonRoad Wanchai,HongKong Phone +852.3113.6177 Fax +852.3113.619 Internet www.dental-tribune.com Publisher TorstenOemus DirectorofFinance andControlling DanWunderlich ManagingEditor DanielZimmermann ProductManager ClaudiaSalwiczek ProductionExecutive GernotMeyer Production MatthiasAbicht today IDEM will appear in advance of the Interna- tional Dental Exhibition and Meeting in Singapore, 4–6April,2014. The magazine and all articles and illustrations therein are protected by copyright. Any utilisation withoutpriorconsentfromtheeditororpublisheris inadmissible and liable to prosecution. No respon- sibility shall be assumed for information published about associations, companies and commer- cialmarkets.General termsandconditions apply, legal venue is Leipzig,Germany. About the Publisher “…any condition in the mouth that leads to inflammation can reach the rest of the body…”