We know that periodontal disease is both an immune and inflammatory response. After reviewing the medical history and talking with your patient, you disco

Do some quick research. Write a brief paragraph response that is well thought out and uses the correct sentence structure for the following prompt.  Your response should be a minimum of 8 sentences which demonstrate knowledge and understanding.

Prompt:

We know that periodontal disease is both an immune and inflammatory response. After reviewing the medical history and talking with your patient, you discover that the patient is scheduled for a kidney transplant in the coming weeks. The patient has a history of periodontal disease, however, they have not been in the office for some time for routine oral care. How might you educate your patient on the connections between periodontal disease and the immunosuppressant drug that they will be on after their surgery? 

Things to consider in your response: 

• Do you advise the patient to have their doctor consult with the dentist?  Why is this important?
• How do you explain the body's immune response to the patient and the potential for infection? What will immunosuppressant drugs do to the body's response (as it relates to the oral cavity)?
• What recall schedule would you recommend and why would it be important for the patient?
• Home care recommendations.
• Is premedication recommended? 
• What else might you add to this list?