Dental Aspects and Neglect in Liver Disease

Dental Aspects

• Dental findings in liver disease
  • Alcoholic cirrhosis is often associated with poor oral hygiene, dental neglect, and dental erosion from gastric reflux.
  • Sialosis/parotid enlargement can occur.
  • Gingival enlargement may result from ciclosporin use after a liver transplant.
  • Children needing liver transplants may experience delayed tooth eruption and discolored/hypoplastic teeth.

Dental Neglect

• Neglect is a contributing factor.
• Poor oral hygiene (OH) is common.
• Increased incidence of tooth decay.
• Increased periodontal disease and inflammation.
• Lack of professional dental care is a problem.

Sialosis

• Images show the visual impact.

Gingival Overgrowth

• Images illustrate the clinical presentation of the condition.

Dental Management

• Increased bleeding risk is a concern.

• Risk of poor wound healing and infection exists.

• Problems metabolizing drugs can occur.

  • This presents challenges to managing medication.

• Infection control: Universal precautions, Hep B vaccination required for staff.

  • Liver transplant patients may need antibiotic coverage for invasive procedures due to their immune suppression.
  • Avoid elective dental procedures for at least six months after a transplant.

• Considerations for treatment:

  • Consider reducing local anesthetic (LA) dosage.
  • Alternative anesthetics like articaine might be preferable to lidocaine.
  • Avoid the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Patients might not metabolize certain drugs efficiently, including antibiotics like tetracycline.

• Prevention is key:

  • Proactive oral hygiene (OHI) is essential.
  • Diet analyses to provide appropriate recommendations are necessary.
  • Prescribe fluoride supplements.
  • Support alcohol cessation.
  • Proactively address smoking cessation.

Summary

• Key functional aspects of the liver. Include the causes and symptoms of liver disease.
• Detail the range of dental implications impacting patients with liver disease.

Further Information

• Cite relevant resources.
  • Include the author, the book, the edition, and the pages.
  • List various URLs for support resources.
  • This includes a YouTube video. Also specific websites (hepatitis, liver trust, and NHS liver disease information)

Explore the intricate relationship between dental health and liver disease through this informative quiz. Learn about the effects of liver conditions on oral hygiene, dental neglect, and specific dental conditions such as gingival overgrowth and sialosis. This quiz also covers the challenges of dental management in patients with liver issues.