Howard Dental Center for HIV+/AIDS Oral Health

Why Should You See Us?

Dentistry saves lives. Yes, good oral health makes you look better, eat better and smile better, but there's a more important reason to pay attention to your oral health: you'll live longer. In fact, recent studies link poor oral health to a variety of illnesses: heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer's to begin with. Another study demonstrated that reaching good periodontal health can /decrease pre-term and low-birth weight babies by 84%.

The mouth is a critical part of the body. Comprehensive oral health includes treatment planning for each patient, bringing each patient to optimum oral health and then helping each patient maintain that health. At Howard Dental Center, we provide comprehensive care . . . and that includes nutritional counseling and tobacco cessation.

For patients who are HIV+, regular oral health appointments can make a huge difference. Many times, we are able to prevent a patient from moving to an AIDS diagnosis through an oral examination. You see, oftentimes AIDS manifests orally before systemically. When our dentists and hygienists spot worrisome lesions, they will refer the patient to the primary care physician for a fast check of the T cell and Viral Loads. A change in medication can make all the difference between living with HIV or being very sick with AIDS. And, sometimes, that difference is life or death.





	Why Should You See Us? Dentistry saves lives. Yes, good oral health makes you look better, eat better and smile better, but there's a more important reason to pay attention to your oral health: you'll live longer. In fact, recent studies link poor oral health to a variety of illnesses: heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer's to begin with. Another study demonstrated that reaching good periodontal health can /decrease pre-term and low-birth weight babies by 84%. The mouth is a critical part of the body. Comprehensive oral health includes treatment planning for each patient, bringing each patient to optimum oral health and then helping each patient maintain that health. At Howard Dental Center, we provide comprehensive care . . . and that includes nutritional counseling and tobacco cessation. For patients who are HIV+, regular oral health appointments can make a huge difference. Many times, we are able to prevent a patient from moving to an AIDS diagnosis through an oral examination. You see, oftentimes AIDS manifests orally before systemically. When our dentists and hygienists spot worrisome lesions, they will refer the patient to the primary care physician for a fast check of the T cell and Viral Loads. A change in medication can make all the difference between living with HIV or being very sick with AIDS. And, sometimes, that difference is life or death.


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	Copyright © 2000 by Joan Reinstein. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution prohibited.