A dental primer for anesthesiologists

Because of the nature of anesthesia, anesthesiologists interact with patients and their dentists more than is usually realized. The mouth is the prime entrance to the upper airway. For this reason - and because oral health is often a significant indicator of the patient's health and concern for their physical condition, and because malpractice suits are frequently generated against anesthesiologists as the result of real or supposed damage to oral structures - it behoves the anesthesiologist to be aware of the various conditions that may exist in the mouth and of the work of the dentist to modify, support, or treat them. A survey of that is given.