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Nutrient Deficiencies Associated With Nutrition‐Focused Physical Findings of the Oral Cavity
Author(s) -
Radler Diane Rigassio,
Lister Tracy
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
nutrition in clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.725
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1941-2452
pISSN - 0884-5336
DOI - 10.1177/0884533613507284
Subject(s) - medicine , micronutrient , physical examination , psychological intervention , oral cavity , intensive care medicine , clinical nutrition , pathology , dentistry , nursing , surgery
Conducting nutrition‐focused physical examinations and reporting the findings from the perspective of nutrition status strengthen the practitioner's assessments, interventions, and monitoring. The nutrition‐focused physical examination of the oral cavity is particularly useful to identify nutrient deficiencies early and with accuracy as the tissues in the oral mucosa have a turnover rate of <1 week. As biomarkers may not always be reliable for identifying micronutrient deficiencies, these physical examinations are important for providing comprehensive nutrition care. The purpose of this article is to discuss the methods of conducting a nutrition‐focused oral screening examination and compile and document the evidence regarding the effects of micronutrient deficiencies on the oral mucosa. The information is formatted into a table that can be used as a tool when conducting an oral screening by identifying possible deficiencies based on the observations and other relevant findings. The tool will also guide the practitioner in confirming the physical findings, suggesting interventions to treat the deficiency and how to monitor the outcomes.