Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: management considerations for the dental team

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects an estimated 3 million people in the United Kingdom, and is most common among elderly smokers. Patients may present with recurrent coughing of mucoid secretions (chronic bronchitis) or breathlessness caused by destruction of the airways (emphysema). If possible, it is advisable to treat the severely affected patients with them sitting upright in the dental chair as they may find it difficult to breathe when lying in the horizontal position. Periodontal bacteria can be carried into the lung where they can cause respiratory infection; therefore oral hygiene instruction should be emphasised in these patients. The objective of this article is to describe the oral and dental implications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In particular, there have been a number of recent developments in the management of patients with COPD that have direct relevance to the dentist. The drug regime used in the treatment of patients with COPD can have profound implications for clinical dental practice, manifested as dry mouth or oral candidiasis. There is also increasing evidence of a link between COPD and both gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and periodontal disease.