Advances in gastroenterology--opportunities and challenges for the dental practitioner.

As the oral cavity marks the beginning of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), it is not surprising that it frequently mirrors disease that occurs lower in the GIT. Increasingly, clinical signs in the oral cavity are recognized as future predictors and prognostic indicators of GIT and, indeed, other systemic disease. This paper discusses recent advances in the overlap area of Oral Medicine and Gastroenterology and the significant role of the dental practitioner in the management of these patients.