Researchers in Glasgow are working with the National Health Service to develop a system to help dentists quiz patients about their drinking habits, according to a story on news.scotsman.com.
A team of researchers from Glasgow University's dental school found that of the 82,461 patients admitted to Scottish hospitals with facial injuries between 2001 and 2006, more than a quarter of the injuries were alcohol-related.
Such a system would require dentists to screen all their patients for alcohol problems and refer out those who need help, the story noted. Examples of the kind of questions dentists would need to ask patients include:
- How many times would you have three or more drinks on one occasion?
- Has anyone ever told you that you should cut down on your drinking?
- Have you ever felt guilty about your drinking?
Christine Goodall, a senior clinical lecturer in oral surgery at Glasgow University, said most patients are not bothered by their dentist asking about their drinking habits, according to the Scotsman.
"We did a pilot study a couple of years ago, and the one thing that came out of that very strongly was that patients were not offended by that at all," she said. "They saw it as a reasonable thing for the dentist to be asking them and felt it was important for their oral health as well."
