Nutrition and Oral Medicine (Nutrition and Health)

Chapter 1 / General Health Status 13for tissue regeneration and maintenance plus a variety of carbohydrates to supportcellular and systemic functions. Dietary fat intake determinations define the importanceof the unsaturated fatty acids in health promotion.The Dietary Reference Intakes offer standards for recommended amounts of specificelements, macronutrients, and vitamins to be included in a dietary pattern (38–42). Thesemultiple sets of values include (Estimated Average Requirements, RecommendedDietary Allowances, Adequate Intakes, and Tolerable Upper Intake Levels) for designatedage groups, physiologic states, and sexes. Like the former Recommended DietaryAllowances these values replace, they are intended to meet the needs of healthy individualsover time. A detailed explanation of these values for individuals at different life stagesis found in Appendix C.5. SUMMARYGeneral health status can have an impact on dental diagnosis and treatment outcomes.Diet and nutrition are major indicators of status and can mediate the course of oral healthoutcomes. Likewise, oral health status has an impact on nutritional status. The synergybetween oral health, general health, and nutrition is dynamic and should be viewed froma global perspective to provide clinical and community interventions targeted towardhealth promotion. The similarities among dietary guidelines and recommendations specificto the major chronic conditions and diseases help to create oral health and nutritionmessages with multiple intents and outcomes.Guidelines for PracticeOral Health ProfessionalNutrition ProfessionalPrevention • Assess dietary patterns and body • Include oral health screening inmass index in identifying routineroutine physical assessmentmedical history for patients• Provide messaging to patients aboutthe synergy between general andoral healthIntervention • Provide guidelines that promote • Conduct dietary assessment andoral health and support dietarynutrition education with dentalchanges necessary to decrease risk patients/clientsfor chronic and disabling diseases• Tailor dietary counseling to include• Develop a referral protocol to aguidelines to promote optimum oralnutrition professional for compre- health and disease risk reductionhensive dietary counseling andfollow-up• Develop a referral protocol to adental professional for oral healthmaintenance