Dental expression and role in palliative treatment

Abstract

World Health Organization defines palliative care as the active total care of patients whose disease is not responding to curative treatment. Palliative care for the terminally ill is based on a multidimensional approach to provide whole-person comfort care while maintaining optimal function; dental care plays an important role in this multidisciplinary approach. The aim of the present study is to review significance of dentist's role to determine whether mouth care was effectively assessed and implemented in the palliative care setting. The oral problems experienced by the hospice head and neck patient clearly affect the quality of his or her remaining life. Dentist plays an essential role in palliative care by the maintenance of oral hygiene; dental examination may identify and cure opportunistic infections and dental disease like caries, periodontal disease, oral mucosal problems or prosthetic requirement. Oral care may reduce not only the microbial load of the mouth but the risk for pain and oral infection as well. This multidisciplinary approach to palliative care, including a dentist, may reduce the oral debilities that influence the patient's ability to speak, eat or swallow. This review highlighted that without effective assessment of the mouth, the appropriate implementation of care will not be delivered. Palliative dental care has been fundamental in management of patients with active, progressive, far-advanced disease in which the oral cavity has been compromised either by the disease directly or by its treatment; the focus of care is quality of life.

Fixing the Chirality and Trapping the Transition State of Helicene with Atomic Metal Glue

“…For example, iron has been inserted into a substituted helicene in analogy with ferrocene, [51,52,53] and alkali metal ions have been suggested to form stable complexes with the helicenes. [54] It has also been suggested that suitable substitutions of the hydrogen atoms of the terminal aryl groups could allow for transition metal complexation between the added functional groups. [55,56] Other related compounds include heterohelicenes that bind to a metal ion which is located at the center between the surrounding helicene backbone, [57] and bis-helicene metal ion complexes.…”

Awareness of palliative care medicine among medical and health care students

“…1 Many trainees do not view palliative care medicine as core clinical competencies. These attitudes coalesce into practice pattern that tend to devalue the provision of palliative care are the end of life.…”

Role of Oral Medicine Specialist in Palliative Care

“…Palliative care is defined by the WHO as "the active total care of the patient whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment". [1] Palliative care is a specialized area of healthcare which focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients. Patients with oral cancer often have a complex and prolonged course of illness due to both the patterns of disease recurrence and the adverse effects of treatments that is marked by periods of freedom from disease and symptoms interspersed with bouts of serious illness, debility, and numerous physical and psychological symptoms including pain, dysphagia, disfigurement, weight loss, depression, and xerostomia.…”