title: Guidelines for nutrition screening, assessment, and intervention in the dental office.
abstract: Patients with complicated disease and medication histories are being seen with increasing frequency in the dental office. Many are at high nutritional risk, which can impact their oral health status. Nutrition is an integral part of health promotion and prevention, but it often is a poorly utilized component of preventive dentistry. This article provides the dental hygienist with a systematic approach to determining which patients are in need of nutrition intervention, and discusses screening, assessment, counseling, and referral. Dental hygienists, as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team, are in an ideal position to identify patients at nutritional and oral health risk, help them attain optimal oral and general health, and improve overall quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry, Portland, USA.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Dwyer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D016321:Dental Care for Aged; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control; D003756:Dental Hygienists; D004032:Diet; D004037:Diet, Cariogenic; D006801:Humans; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D019338:Polypharmacy; D018570:Risk Assessment