Sunday, August 19, 2007

Chicago Sun-Times: "Dentists going extra mile"

This blog is taking a long time taking off, but this seems to belong:
Richard Mueller went to his dentist to get his gum disease treated.

He wound up learning he had diabetes.

Westmont dentist Ronald Schefdore routinely gives patients with gum disease blood tests that measure cholesterol, blood sugar and inflammation.

Mueller's high blood sugar was a sign he might have diabetes. A physician made the diagnosis, and now Mueller has his blood sugar under control.

These days, dentists aren't just drilling teeth and cleaning gums. They're also screening for diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer and treating conditions ranging from headaches to snoring.

"We're discovering that the mouth has implications for the whole body," said Elmhurst dentist Ivan Valcarenghi. [...]
I dreamed I was a back-molar . . .