Nutrition and Oral Medicine, edited by Riva Touger-Decker, David A. Sirois, and Connie C. Mobley. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press; 2005. 377 pp.
Nutrition and Oral Medicine closes a gap in the field of dietetics and dentistry by providing evidence-based information on the interactive role of diet and oral health across the lifespan. The book would serve as an extremely useful resource and learning tool for students and professionals in a variety of health-related fields, such as dietetics, dentistry, medicine, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.
The editors, who themselves are leaders in the field, organize the book's content using a unique and practical strategy. The book's 18 chapters are divided into 5 sections: Synergistic Relationships Between Nutrition and Health, Synergistic Relationships Between Oral and General Health, Relationships Between Nutrition and Oral Health, Select Diseases and Conditions With Known Nutrition and Oral Health Relationships, and Education and Practice. This organizational approach first highlights the interdependent and dynamic associations between diet and oral medicine, then concludes with practical applications.
Twenty-four recognized authors contribute a wide variety of research and practice topics influencing nutrition and oral health, such as pregnancy and childhood, age-related changes in health, the impact of environment and culture, and medications. Several selected diseases and conditions are discussed in greater detail including diabetes mellitus, oral and pharyngeal cancer, human immuno-deficiency virus, autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, and wound healing. Furthermore, the book discusses emerging issues and advancements in the field through chapters on complementary and alternative medicine, emerging research and practice, approaches to risk assessment, and oral medicine and nutrition education.
The book is well written, extremely engaging and well-referenced. The book's 2 main strengths are its reliance on current evidence and its focus on practical applications. Several of the chapters conclude with "Guidelines for Practice," which highlight prevention and intervention strategies for both the oral health and nutrition professional. Valuable tables, charts, and figures are used throughout the chapters to supplement the book's discussion. Nutrition and Oral Medicine also includes an extensive appendix providing the reader with a variety of assessment and educational tools.
The book does have a few limitations. First, it is already outdated in regards to its discussion of the US Dietary Guidelines and the Food Guide Pyramid, both of which were revised this current year. Second, the book does require that readers have some basic knowledge in oral/dental anatomy. A glossary of terms and related illustrations would have enhanced the written text and served useful for those readers without a background in oral health.
Overall, however, I would recommend this book to any student or professional who addresses issues related to food, nutrition, and/or oral health of individuals, whether they are children or older adults. It is a much needed and practical resource for understanding the effects of nutrition on oral health and the effects of oral health on nutrition.
Marcia Thomas, MS, MPH, RD