Vermont Dental Conference

Program #8 Dietary Supplements: What the Dental Team Should Know

Tieraona Low Dog, MD
Audience Code: D, H, A, O            3 CEUs/Clinical Lecture

The use of dietary supplements has become commonplace in the United States. Some nutritional supplements have been shown through scientific investigation to benefit oral and overall health. However, concerns remain regarding safety and quality. All members of the health care team should be familiar with the evidence of safety and benefit for the most used dietary supplements to enhance patient outcomes and reduce risk of adverse events associated with dental procedures. This program is recommended for the entire dental team.

Learning Outcomes:

• Recognize the importance of calcium and vitamin D in oral and overall health
• Understand the role of folic acid and vitamin B12 in oral health and identify populations at risk for deficiency
• Learn the role of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in oral and overall health and identify effective strategies for increasing intake
• Know the risk and benefits of vitamin A and carotenoids in oral and bone health
• Understand the evidence for zinc and zinc-I-carnosine in oral health
• Identify key risks and benefits of commonly used dietary and botanical supplements on oral health and during dental procedures