Alice Lesch Kelly

How would you feel if at your next dental visit, your dentist mentioned that you'd gained weight?

It could happen: In a new study, a University of North Carolina researcher found that half the dentists surveyed would like to help their patients with their weight as well as their dental health.

"There is a relationship between obesity and oral health," says Dr. Alice E. Curran, the study's lead author. Being overweight raises the risk of diabetes, which in turn boosts the likelihood of gum disease.

Most people see their dentists more often than their doctors, so dentists are in a unique position to identify weight problems early. "Dentists can then refer their patients to a specialist," says Curran.

Dentists' Role in Fat Loss: Their Opinion

Despite dentists' desire to be leaders in the fight against obesity, Dr. Curran's study found that less than 5 percent actually offer to help their overweight patients, because they don't want to offend their patients or appear judgmental. Some agree that it's just not their role: "My focus is on my patients' dental health, including dietary habits that may affect their overall health, but not specifically on weight gain," says Dr. Bruno Sharp, a Miami prosthodontist.

Others, on the other hand, insist they should be explicit about the risks of gaining weight. "I absolutely talk to my patients regarding weight and diet because it is directly related to their oral health," says Dr. Grace Yum, a pediatric dentist at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. "Whenever necessary, I am not shy about respectfully and constructively bringing up the connection between sugars, dental health, weight and overall health. I do that because it is in my patients' best interests -- what is most important to me is helping my patients be as healthy as possible."

Dentists' Role in Fat Loss: Your Opinion

How would you feel if your dentist mentioned that you seemed to be gaining weight or offered advice on how to slim down?

- I'm all for it -- the more health professionals fighting obesity, the better!

- How rude. What's next, an eye doctor commenting on my hairstyle? I pay the dentist to treat my oral health -- that's it.

- Not sure

Alice Lesch Kelly is a freelance medical writer who has covered women's health, nutrition and oral health for print publications and the Web, including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, More, Shape, Martha Stewart Living and VIV. She is the co-author of four books on women's health.

 

Available at Amazon.com:

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder

No More Digestive Problems

 

 

NEWS & CURRENT EVENTS ...

WORLD | AFRICA | ASIA | EUROPE | LATIN AMERICA | MIDDLE EAST | UNITED STATES | ECONOMICS | EDUCATION | ENVIRONMENT | FOREIGN POLICY | POLITICS

 

Health - Lose Fat With Your Dentist's Help