Spring 2009

Focus attention on oral health link to overall health

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) and Florida Combined Life (FCL) have launched the Total Health Program, a joint effort promoting the benefits of good oral health to members enrolled in both our health and dental plans, with a particular focus on members with diabetes and coronary artery disease, as well as pregnant women.

Studies have shown a clear connection between oral health and overall health. From heart disease to diabetes and prenatal health, oral infection, particularly gum or periodontal disease, may make the management of these conditions more difficult.¹ Engaging in basic preventive dental care can have a considerable impact on total health and well-being:

• Good oral health and diabetes control work together.² Individuals with good oral health have better control of their diabetes by improved control of their blood sugar. Additionally, diabetics with their medical condition well maintained have a lower incidence of oral disease. Therefore, it is important to maintain control of both a member’s diabetes and their oral health for the improved control of both conditions.

• Individuals with untreated periodontal disease have up to a two times greater risk of developing heart disease. But intensive periodontal treatment has been associated with improved elasticity of the arteries.³ Encourage your cardiac patients to seek regular dental treatment to help prevent the complications that oral infection may have on their hearts.

• The risk of delivering a pre-term, low birth-weight baby may be increased if the mother has oral infection or periodontal disease.⁴ Expectant mothers are sometimes concerned about seeking dental care when they are pregnant due to concerns about the effect of X-rays on their unborn child. Although elective dental treatment, including routine X-ray screening, can be delayed until after the baby is born, treatment of periodontal disease, particularly in the second trimester, has been shown to be both safe and beneficial.

A targeted outreach campaign to members with diabetes and/or coronary artery disease who have not utilized their dental benefits began in March, stressing the connection between oral health and total health and encouraging them to make a dental appointment. Additionally, information about the Total Health Program has been included in prenatal health brochures and a variety of other resources.

Remember, oral health is not just about the condition of your patient’s teeth but another controllable risk factor that is important in their medical management.