Q: How much does my dentist need to know about my medical conditions?

A: The more your dentist knows about your overall health, the better and safer he or she will be able to treat you. As the American population ages, dentists are seeing increasing numbers of patients with problems like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, AIDS and hypertension. It's important that your dentist know of any health condition you have, so the treatment he or she administers doesn't compromise your existing condition. Dentists are appropriately trained to treat patients with medical conditions. In some cases, they will consult with your physician to agree on the proper course of treatment, Generally, they get the necessary information by asking you questions. Dentists often detect conditions unknown to their patient. For instance, while some 16 million people have diabetes, only about half of them have been diagnosed. It is often during the course of an oral examination that a dentist notices symptoms that may ultimately lead to a medical diagnosis with your physician. So share your complete medical history with your dentist, it will benefit your overall care in and out of the office.

Presented as a service to the community by Peter A. Tzendzalian, DDS.