Carla Cruvinel Pontes
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Title: Oral health for general health and wellbeing
Biography
Biography: Carla Cruvinel Pontes
Abstract
Even though the dental education has shifted towards a more integrative approach betwen dentistry and other health professions in the latest years, the majority of dentists still treat oral conditions and diseases as if the mouth was separate from the rest of the body. In order to become a professional who truly promotes health and not only treats disease, a deeper and more holistic approach to health is needed. Medical studies have presented evidence that diet for instance is an integral part of our health and well-being. There are even reports of plant-based diets being used to revert heart disease and diabetes.Studies on periodontal disease point in the direction of an increased inflammatory burden that can affect other parts of the body. Case studies show that migraine, head, neck and back pain can have dental malocclusion as a trigger. Other studies show the importance of self-steem, gratitude and a positive outlook on our immune system.