Anemia: Anemia in Dentistry

Anemia is considered as an important diagnostic symptom of some underlying disease. Anemia is the first symptom of some serious illnesses. Hence determining its cause is very important. Thus, it should be thoroughly analyzed and managed accordingly. For many years, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute i.e. NHLBI, has laboriously researched in finding the causes of various types of anemia and ways to prevent & treat them. Various blood disorders, ranging from anemias to malignancies, can have oral manifestations. Several types of anemia present very characteristic oral, clinical and radiological features. This signifies the role of the dental health professional for diagnosis and dental management of patients with anemia. Hence, since the dental health professional may be the first person to recognize the presence of anemia, his role in the multidisciplinary approach in the diagnosis and management of the various types of anemias cannot be underestimated.