Holistic oral care

  • S. Boyle &
  • J. Griffiths
UK: Stephen Hancocks Ltd (www.shancocksltd.com ) price £28.95, pp 320 ISBN 0945614526 | ISBN: 0-954-61452-6

This book, now in its second edition, is an outstanding reference work. Authors Janet Griffiths and Steve Boyle have illustrated the work with precise, well laid out tables and chapter titles are printed along the sides of each page allowing for quick review. It is clearly aimed at the whole healthcare team.

If you wanted to know which drug classes have the potential to cause dry mouth, then a table entitled xerostomic medication categorised according to function, within a chapter on oral effects of commonly used medication, is the most concise and informative I have come across. This is a very important topic as many of our patients are now on a cocktail of medications and dentists need to be rapidly aware of possible oral side effects. Similarly a high quality photograph shows localised swelling of the gingivae on the buccal surface of a single tooth as a side effect of Nifedipine, a commonly prescribed medication for heart/circulatory disease!

Equally impressive are the grids summarising nursing standards for oral health in continuing care and the joint assessment nursing education tool — which succinctly display the details required for in-patient admission with particular emphasis on dentures and problems that may arise. A clever animated oral chart to facilitate reporting and monitoring details of any oral abnormalities of the soft tissues should be a must for every dental practice!

An apparent anomaly appears in the chapter on neurological and sensory impairment, where concern is raised that the mercury in dental fillings may cause multiple sclerosis and sufferers often ask for their removal. The authors state that although there is no scientific evidence it would seem prudent to provide alternative filling materials as and when replacements are needed.

Chlorhexidine is continuously advocated as part of an oral hygiene programme, but no mention is made of alternatives such as Gengigel or co-enzyme Q10.

The final chapters cover mental health problems, malignant disease and its treatment and practical oral health promotion. An appendix completes the 332 glossy pages with some case studies.

Holistic oral care is the sort of book you can read in a day but should have handy to refer to every day. It covers virtually every disease that a dentist/healthcare worker may come across and the challenges of coping with them and with any treatment side effects.