As dental professionals, you are in an excellent position to identify and manage patients at risk for alcohol-related problems. As stated in earlier, nearly 14 million Americans, or 1 in every 13 adults - abuse alcohol or are alcoholic.

Following* is a step-by-step approach to identifying and managing these problems which offers practical advice on making alcohol screening, assessment, and brief intervention procedures a routine part of your clinical practice. There are important reasons for doing so. Untreated alcoholism results in a variety of social, economic, and medical/dental consequences. Alcohol use can complicate treatment for medical/dental problems, interfere with prescribed medications, or lead to adverse side effects. Most importantly, left untreated, alcohol abuse and alcoholism often result in severe or fatal outcomes. Your patients look to you for advice about the risks and benefits associated with drinking. Research, in fact, demonstrates that simply discussing your concerns about alcohol use can be effective in changing many patients' drinking behavior before problems become chronic.

What Your Patients Should Know About Alcohol Use:

Most adults who drink alcohol, drink in moderation and are at low risk for developing problems related to their drinking. However, all drinkers, including low-risk drinkers, should be aware of the health risks associated with alcohol consumption. Provide your patients with information and advice about the risks of drinking.

Recommendations to Patients for Low-Risk Drinking:

Advise those patients who currently drink to drink in moderation. Moderate drinking is defined as follows:

Men - no more than two drinks per day

Women - no more than one drink per day

Over 65 - no more than one drink per day

Note: A standard drink is 12 grams of pure alcohol, which is equal to one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.

*Adapted from "The Physician's Guide to Helping Patients with Alcohol Problems," National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

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