End to End: A Look at Select GI Tract Pathologies and Their Oral Manifestations

Dental professionals are becoming more involved in interdisciplinary care, identifying symptoms in the oral cavity that may be indications of systemic disease. Some of the diseases of which dental professionals may see signs or symptoms include oropharyngeal cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and Peutz Jegher’s syndrome. Beyond detecting and identifying oral symptoms, the dental professional also plays an important role in understanding when and how to make recommendations that will benefit the patient’s oral health and mitigate oral effects of systemic issues.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• List possible oral manifestations of a sample of GI tract pathologies. 
• Describe options that practitioners can recommend to ease patient discomfort caused by disorders or treatments. 
• Explain the importance of dental professionals’ ability to identify changes in the oral cavity that may be manifestations of systemic disease. 
• Discuss the pathogenesis of selected conditions affecting the GI tract. 

About the Author

Sherri Lukes, RDH, MS, FAADH 
Independent speaker/consultant

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