Dr. Katie To argues dentists should be part of your medical team because they see you more often than doctors and can spot early signs of diabetes, sleep apnea, and autoimmune diseases in your mouth before formal diagnosis. Most doctors disagree.
I think dentists should be a part of your medical team, and some doctors hate when I say that. But think about it, who sees you more often, your dentist or your physicians? Yet somehow the one person looking directly at your gums, tongue, saliva, airway, and jaw is not included in the health conversation. Makes no sense at all. I've seen signs of diabetes, Sleep apnea, inflammation, nutrient deficiency, autoimmune disease, long before the patient even get diagnosed. Not because I'm smarter, because the mouth shows the signs first. Your mouth is not separate from your body, and it's time healthcare start acting like it.
