Scientific
Programme
Programme-at-a-Glance
Pre- and Post-
Congress Workshops
 
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The SingHealth
Duke-NUS Scientific Congress is different from other congress in the sense that many of
the congresses we attend tends to be sub-specialised. However, this Congress has a
little of everything and it allows the entire SingHealth community, together with our partner,
Duke-NUS, to
come together to share experiences.
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”
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~ Assoc Prof Loo Chian Min
Chief Medical Informatics Officer, SingHealth
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Programme >
Dentistry Symposium
Oral Health and General Health – What's the Connection?
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Track type: Symposium |
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Duration: 90 minutes |
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Location: Academia, Level 2, PSL 2 |
Topic 1:
Understanding How Diabetes Mellitus and Periodontal Disease Can Affect Each Other
 Speaker: Dr Chee Hoe Kit
Globally, diabetes mellitus, prediabetes, and periodontal disease are common chronic diseases. A mutually adverse relationship between periodontitis and hyperglycemia in both otherwise healthy individuals and in those with prediabetes or manifest diabetes may result in:
1. Elevated blood glucose level adversely affecting periodontal health.
2. Periodontal infection adversely affecting blood glucose levels, leading to decreased glycemic control in diabetics, increased risk for diabetic complications and elevated blood glucose levels or development of prediabetes in otherwise healthy individuals, development of Type 2 diabetes in those with prediabetes, and possibly development of gestational diabetes.
All healthcare professionals should understand the significant role of oral health in managing patients with diabetes or those at risk. By achieving healthy periodontal tissues to be as free of infection and subsequent inflammation as possible, may be an important, novel avenue for improving glucose control in diabetics or for helping to prevent development of prediabetes and manifest diabetes with its complications. With concerted effort between medical and oral healthcare workers, a potentially huge gain may be achieved in improving the quality of life of diabetics while reducing the immense burden of diabetes mellitus and its sequelae on patients, their families, employers, as well as society as a whole.
Topic 2:Medication-related Osteonecrosis of the Jaws: Prevention is Better than Cure
Speaker: Dr William Lim
Antiresorptive and antiangiogenic medications have been widely used to treat patients suffering from various diseases. These medications greatly improved patients’ quality of life over the years. However, there exists the risk of jaw osteonecrosis with prolonged usage of the drugs. Since the first reported case of jaw osteonecrosis related to intravenous bisphosphonate in the early 2000s, the incidence of such cases have been increasing. This is partly due to the success of these drugs in the treatment of the ailments and the physicians’ awareness of the presenting symptoms. The goal of managing this group of patients is to minimise the risk of developing necrosis of the jaw bones through constant education and evaluation.
Topic 3:
The Dentist as a Serial Killer: How Poor Oral Health Kills Our Dementia Patients
Speaker: Dr Ang Kok-Yang The Singaporean population is ageing rapidly, and more people are now able to live longer. However, this brings with it a dramatic increase in people who are diagnosed with dementia. Recent local reports even reported an increase in the number of younger adults who are diagnosed with dementia. What impact will dementia have upon the oral health of these people? Is good oral health a pre-requisite for better overall health and quality of life for them? This presentation will attempt to present some of the more relevant issues pertaining to oral health and dementia.
Topic 4:
Deciphering the Oral Cavity: What Your Mouth Can Tell about Your Health
Speaker: Dr Chelsia Sim
Oral manifestations of systemic diseases can provide an insight into one’s health. Performing a thorough oral examination ensures identification of oral signs. Besides identifying these oral signs, it is also important to be able to recognise these oral manifestations to provide an accurate diagnosis and timely referral for treatment and patient management. For example, oral ulcerations may sometimes be the only clinical signs for conditions such as pemphigus, lupus erythematousus or Crohn’s disease.
This presentation will cover some of the common oral manifestations such as mucosal ulcerations, atrophic glossitis, oral candidiasis, gingival bleeding, dental caries and tooth erosion and their clinical significance, aiming to familiarise clinicians with the relationship between systemic and oral health.
*Information is correct at time of update
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