General practitioners promoting oral health among patients with CVD : a scoping review

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) places a significant burden on the Australian healthcare system as the leading cause of death nationwide. Additionally, the effect of oral health conditions on cardiovascular health remains an unaddressed gap. To further improve outcomes for Australians with CVD, it is imperative to address the oral health aspect of CVD. As general practitioners (GPs) are often patients’ first medical contacts, they are well placed to address this gap. Aim: This study aims to scope the existing literature to answer two research questions: (1) What is the current evidence on the role that GPs play in managing the oral health of patients with CVD? (2) What resources and guidelines are available for GPs to manage the oral health of patients with CVD? Methods: A literature search was performed using the JBI Scoping Review methodology across four databases: Medline-OVID, Medline-Embase, BioMed Central, CINAHL. In addition, grey literature was extracted from sources on the Internet. All papers selected were available in English, published in the last 10 years and described primary research including systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Papers identified will be screened by three researchers (RS, AS, PL) across two stages: title and abstract screening, and full text screening. Conflicts will be resolved through discussions, and any tie-break will be mediated by AG. The papers will be critically analysed in the context of the research questions and themes will be elicited. Findings: Papers are currently in the last stages of screening. Findings will be available in August for presentation at the AAAPC Conference. Implications: GPs play an essential role in the Australian healthcare system. It is critical that GPs actively address oral health conditions to effectively manage CVD, bridging a gap that is well-established in literature.