Dentistry

Oral & Pediatric Services in Jackson

For patients in need of specialized dental procedures, St. John’s Health can provide high quality treatment from specially trained health system dentists. Dental treatment at the health system is not like what you find at the typical dentist’s office. Most patients are referred to a health system dentist by a medical professional for complex dental procedures like surgery or pediatric care.

There are a few situations which may put you in need of a health system dentist. In many cases, patients who do not have access to regular dental care will seek out the services of a health system dentist. You may also see one if you need dental services while staying in the health system.

Dentistry & Your Overall Health

Another reason that dentistry is offered at some hospitals is that dental issues can sometimes be linked to medical problems. Several oral diseases can be indicators of a serious medical problem, and it can be beneficial to have both treated at a health system.

Links between oral and medical health:

• Periodontitis – A serious gum disease caused by bacterial cultivation in the mouth. Bacteria growing on teeth can infect the rest of your body through the gums, which can cause of a wide array of medical issues. Doctors may recommend having gum disease treated at the health system if it poses a serious risk to your overall health.
• Diabetes – Medical experts are still not entirely sure what causes diabetes, but research has shown a link between gum disease and this chronic condition. High blood sugar increases your risk of gum disease. As diabetes hinders your body’s ability to create insulin, gum disease and diabetes often go hand in hand.
• Heart Disease – A large number of heart disease patients are also diagnosed with gum disease. The exact reason why is still unknown, but current medical findings suggest that the inflammation of the gums can cause inflammation in blood vessels. Cardiologists often refer patients to a health system doctor for peritonitis treatment.

There are many other conditions that have some link to oral health issues. Do not be surprised if your doctor recommends dental care as part of your treatment.

Specialized Dental Services

A health system dentists receives in-depth training so that they can handle a wide array of oral health concerns. For these reason, you may want to visit a health system dentist for orthodontics, restorative procedures, oral surgery, and dental care for children and adolescents with oral abnormalities. At St. John’s, we make sure all our patients are connected with medical specialists that can best meet their needs.