Gloves key when it comes to gums

Shari Roan did a great article on periodontal disease [“When Gums Speak Volumes,” April 16]. As a practicing registered dental hygienist for 27 years, I thought it was very accurate.

One thing bothered me: the picture on the front page of the Health section. Is that person wearing gloves? With the onset of herpes and AIDS in the early 1980s, universal precautions were implemented. We always wear gloves for every procedure!

LISA M. BRYNJEGARD

Castaic

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Because a healthy mouth and gum disease have broad health implications, how about acknowledging the fact that the mouth (and our teeth) are part of our body and should be included in all medical insurance?

TANJA WINTER

La Jolla

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Kudos for addressing a major healthcare problem. It has long been suspected that microbes in gum tissue have easy access to the bloodstream and lead to numerous health problems. However, the key problem may not be insurance funding, but rather communication between the medical and dental teams.

As a nursing student at UC San Francisco, one of my clinical tasks is to assess my patients holistically and elucidate any barriers to the achievement of optimal health. This assessment includes screening for such issues as dental health and access to a provider. The graduate schools here have begun an interdisciplinary program to increase the relations between nurses, doctors, dentists and pharmacists. If we collaborate while we are students, we will be more likely to do so in the future.

It is only through team building that patients will experience more positive outcomes.

MELISSA CARMAN

San Francisco