ABSTRACT
The Tongue, Palate, Gums, and Gingiva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432 Examining Teeth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433 Observing Saliva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434 Vitamin C for Soft Tissue Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434 Osteoporosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435 Iatrogenic Heavy-Metal Exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436
The 21st century patient expects to be weighed, measured for height, body temperature, and blood pressure, frequently asked for a urine sample, and routinely examined in the eyes, ears, nose, and throat. They expect to be comprehensively evaluated, sometimes even demanding that these health conditions be considered in an overall treatment plan. They want health care professionals to be sensitive to the body’s lack of isolated and noncommunicating compartments.1 The rapid response of oral tissues to metabolic changes provides many clues to deficiency states long before the condition is classified as a disease.
