Prevalence of Self-reported Medical Conditions among Dental Patients

BACKGROUND: In general, it is important to assess the medical history of patients before initiating any treatment. In particular, patients seeking dental treatment could possibly have significant medical conditions that may affect the diagnosis and/or alter the treatment provided. However, many dentists assume that their patients are systemically healthy, and thus they do not record the medical history of their patients. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of medical conditions in patients seeking periodontal treatment at the dental teaching hospital of King Khalid University. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Upon presentation at the periodontal clinics of the dental teaching hospital of King Khalid University, Asir Region, Saudi Arabia, patients' history from medical records was screened. RESULTS: The medical history was taken for 455 periodontal patients. The most frequently encountered medical conditions were diabetes mellitus and hormonal disorders, followed by respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases. CONCLUSION: The results of our study found a high prevalence of medical conditions among patients seeking periodontal treatment, thereby highlighting the need to record patients' medical and dental care history in detail.