Managing saliva issues

Salivary issues are a common finding in our every day practice, presenting itself under a variety of conditions such as medical, neurological and oral motor functional. It affects everything from our patients comfort to the longevity of our dental restorations and also has social implications.

The Australian Society of Special Care in Dentistry will be holding a two day conference - the Walk@bout - on November 18-19, 2010 at the beautiful Fairmont Resort in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.

This year, our topic of discussion will be "Saliva: Issues and Management", a subject that will interest most clinicians, specialists, allied health professionals and particularly general practitioners who have an interest in geriatric dentistry, medically compromised patients, people with psychiatric disorders and special needs.

In this two day course, Dr Kim Gear (Specialist in Oral Medicine, New Zealand) will cover the aetiology of xerostomia, maintaining the dentition in a dry mouth and management of the condition, as well as some of her current research into humidifiers.

By popular demand, Danielle White from Alzheimer's NSW will present on the best methods when working with people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Dr Helen Somerville (Westmead Rehabilitation Physician) and Bronwen Craig (Westmead Adult speech Pathologist) will outline the aetiology of dribbling (sialhorrea), its medical management, dysphagia (swallowing disorders) and current therapy treatments. Dr Taka Kumi Ooka, from Showa University, Japan, will discuss him team's current research into oral muscular control during feeding in people with oral dysfunction. Dr Emma Jay (Specialist in Special Needs Dentistry) will present a 'day in the life' of the running of the Westmead Clinic of Oral Motor Function Therapy.

In the quick sticks segment, there will be 10 minute case presentations from first year BDent students and junior dentists in the medically compromised and Special Care Clinics. We also welcome submissions from any other oral health professionals as 10 minute presentations. Abstracts should be submitted by 22 October 2010 to Dr Neeta Prabhu. There will be a prize for the best presentation.

We hope you will join us to decide "Is it too much or too little?".