AI, and generative artificial intelligence in particular, is the flavour of the year. Although, the huge amount of hype generated is now coming in for greater scrutiny over whether the claims are real or mere marketing mumbo jumbo. In the dental context, however, there appears to be some important advancements happening via AI. The prospect looms of utilising AI to detect gum inflammation, giving advance warning for gingivitis. Yet investigating this claim, is the acclaim is actually justified? If you’re worried or concerned about the prevalence of gum disease and your own vulnerability to gingivitis, read on to find out more.

Artificial Intelligence Identifying Gum Disease For Dentists

A recent study, originally published in the International Dental Journal, looked into the utilisation of AI to detect the inflammation of gums in images taken of oral cavities. The Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Hong Kong in concert with a number of international institutions employed artificial intelligence to identify gum disease from intra-oral photographs. Previously, we would have just said that they used a computer program to achieve this, but AI is the new buzzword to generate excitement. The nub of this is all about having technology do the job that dentists previously would do.

AI Helping To Spot Signs Of Inflammation For Gingivitis

“The study was conducted by researchers from the HKU Faculty of Dentistry, the Department of Computer Science at Hong Kong Chu Hai College, the School of Information Engineering at Guangdong University of Technology, and the Faculty of Dentistry at The National University of Malaysia. It involved developing and testing an AI model using a dataset of over 567 images of gums with varying degrees of inflammation and is one of the first to explore the use of AI in detecting gum inflammation.”
– Science Daily

What Are The Ramifications In The Dental World?

Yes, this may well put in place a greater fail safe mechanism for identifying gum disease. If your human dentist is having a bad day, then, AI will most likely pick up anything missed by him or her. The bigger picture may well see dentists not doing this type of work in the future. The protocol may morph toward having the AI check for this, whilst our human dentist spends more time on performing dental procedures. Plus, the investment in this technology may, also, put more upward pressure on increasing the cost of seeing your dentist for a check-up. None of this technology comes cheap and dental clinics are already capital intensive businesses in terms of the equipment, instruments and materials required to do modern dentistry in the West. Innovation in healthcare within the capitalist economy is all about taking research to market and making money from it. Few dental market experts see going to the dentist getting any more affordable in the future, as a direct result of AI innovation – it is a complex business.

Early Intervention Important To Prevent Gum Disease

Early intervention is the key to preventing the serious consequences of untreated gum disease. The leading researcher, Dr Walter Yu-Hang Lam said, “many patients do not attend regular dental check-ups and they only seek dentists to alleviate pain when their teeth are at the end stage of dental diseases, in which tooth loss is inevitable, and only expensive rehabilitative treatments are available.”

How will patients get intra-oral photographs? I mean, at this stage you cannot put your iPhone in your mouth and snap away. I do not see an app of this nature working until other technologies are in place to support it. Right now, a trip to the dentist remains your best bet to catch early signs of inflammation leading to gingivitis and potentially more serious gum diseases.

Scientists Working Together For Better Oral Health Outcomes

“The collaborative nature of this study is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange. By bringing together experts from different fields and regions, the researchers can develop an AI model that could accurately detect gum inflammation, with important implications for public health and wellbeing. For the project’s next stage, Dr Lam plans to utilise the AI system for community services, making the technology more accessible to elderly and underserved communities, with the aim of improving oral health outcomes and reducing health disparities.”
– Reinhard Chun Wang Chau, Guan-Hua Li, In Meei Tew, Khaing Myat Thu, Colman McGrath, Wai-Lun Lo, Wing-Kuen Ling, Richard Tai-Chiu Hsung, Walter Yu Hang Lam. Accuracy of Artificial Intelligence-Based Photographic Detection of Gingivitis. International Dental Journal, 2023; DOI: 10.1016/j.identj.2023.03.007

The Cost Of Innovation In The Dental Healthcare Space

The future for oral health is looking better and brighter for humanity via developing innovative advancements like the use of artificial intelligence to detect gum inflammation. We do need to get the economics right in Australia, however, so that more people can afford to access the world class dentistry we provide here. Currently, we have a 2 speed economy of home owners and the rest of the working poor, renters, and those doing it tough. Do we want to see an American vision of Australia manifesting down-under? Where healthcare offers a Star Trek experience for the select demographic section who can afford it, whilst the great unwashed put up with things like gum disease and the negative impact it can have on their overall health? We seem to have given up on equality for all Australians in important areas like health and education.

Medicare still flies the flag but is under attack from unscrupulous healthcare providers and general neglect. They say that familiarity breeds contempt. And of course dental care is not and hasn’t ever been covered under Medicare. Too many Aussies suffer from gingivitis and more serious gum disease simply because they feel they cannot afford to go to the dentist. A culture of neglect has grown up under the two-speed economy, which sees oral health excluded from the universal healthcare insurance scheme in this country. We all want to see better dental healthcare burgeoning in Australia for more denizens of the nation. Technological innovation may well offer wondrous advancements in the near future but we need to ensure we take all Australians with us on this journey to better.

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