No abstract

It’s on the medical history form and you may feel like you’ve asked it thousands of times: ‘How many units of alcohol do you consume each week?’. But is this question effective at identifying people with alcohol problems? Our authors provide evidence that a new approach to recording alcohol consumption would lead to more and better advice being given to patients.

Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Unlike primary medical care, primary dental care services are used by patients on a regular, prevention-orientated basis. This provides the primary dental healthcare team with unique opportunities to intervene, particularly as asking patients about their levels of alcohol consumption is a routine component of medical history taking. Effective treatment options include motivational advice, information leaflets and, when necessary, referral to specialist mental health professionals in consultation with the patient’s medical practitioner.

No abstract