Managing risk factors

Managing risk factors

Both the prevention and management of periodontal inflammation and disease relies on managing individual risk factors and this is an integral part of all the steps of treatment. Note that this is a dynamic process and risk can change with time.

Individuals may have systemic or local risk factors which either predispose them to disease development or complicate the management and control of disease. These may be modifiable (i.e. something the patient can change) or non-modifiable (i.e. something the patient cannot change).

It is important to recognise and discuss these risk factors with a patient at an early stage, and then throughout their care if the situation requires, recognising that some risk factors (e.g. a genetic susceptibility) may not be something a patient can change.

Discussions about risk factors should be sympathetic to the individual patient’s situation and should aim to engage them with personalised information, advice and support about preventing or controlling their disease.