’Educating the educated’: a report of an undergraduate medical student with multiple carious lesions and poor dietary habits

Although dental practitioners possess a detailed knowledge of the management and multifactorial aetiology of dental caries, treatment remains predominantly operative, failing to address the long-term consequences and the likelihood of new carious lesions, further progression of existing early carious lesions and caries adjacent to restorations. It may be suggested that this is due to the time constraints dental professionals may face in trying to stabilize and restore carious lesions, whilst also providing the thorough education and preventive advice needed to aid patients with the necessary knowledge of how their behaviour can impact their oral health.

Due to their intellectual ability and general understanding of the human body, it may be incorrectly assumed that medical students are aware of the importance of good dietary habits and oral health education in reducing the risk of dental diseases in themselves and their patients. Consequently, this may also lead to a reduction in the time and effort invested in educating them about their habits. Recent literature suggests that this may not be the case. For example, in a cohort of undergraduate medical students in India, dental caries status was significantly affected by factors such as high dental anxiety and poor plaque control.¹ Kumar et al identified that 75.7% of these students brushed their teeth once daily.¹ A similar study identified that only 35.5% of medical students who participated were aware that they can reduce their susceptibility to dental caries through regular brushing and dental attendance, reduced sugar consumption and using fluoride.² The patient in this report stated that the aetiology and management of dental diseases have not yet been implemented into the undergraduate curriculum.