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Medical problems dental students could identify part 3: Lupus

BDJ Student volume 28, pages 38–39 (2021)Cite this article

By Jay Patel, 3rd year dental student, University of Leeds

You can't judge a book by its cover: first recorded in 1867, this proverb has since remained in common currency and is applicable to many aspects of life in the 21st century. In the context of clinical dentistry, it serves as a plea to look beyond the mouth. In the former part of this series, I emphasised the importance of history taking as a cornerstone of holistic patient care but this should compassionately acknowledge potential gaps of what is fundamentally: a self-reported account. Examination offers the chance to piece together any missing shapes of the jigsaw. Orofacial lesions are often just the cover to a book, in some cases these may be untold stories that dental care workers hold the responsibility of enlightening to their patient. In other instances they are age-old novels that bear a considerable burden for the patient, and though we may be able to regenerate the cover, we must appreciate the broader picture. Systemic lupus erythematosus is a potentially fatal, autoimmune disease, affecting multiple organ systems of the body. More than 40% of patients with this condition will present orofacial manifestations, which constitute one of eleven diagnostic criteria for the disease.1,2 Subsequently, dental care workers are positioned at the forefront of an intricate multidisciplinary care team for patients with the disease.

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References

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  1. University of Leeds, The Worsley Building, Clarendon Way, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK

    Jay Patel

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Correspondence to Jay Patel.

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Patel, J. Medical problems dental students could identify part 3: Lupus. BDJ Student 28, 38–39 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-020-0178-y

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