Elisa Brittain, RDH, BS
New Study Suggests Possibility of Strengthening Periodontal Immune System
We all know that a healthy immune system is essential for overall health. With a strong immune system, your body can fight off sickness and illnesses before symptoms arise, keeping you healthy and strong. While it’s important to have a healthy immune system, have you ever thought about what it would mean to have a healthy periodontal immune system?...
How Dental Outreach Changes Others, Including You!
It is no secret there is a need for quality dental care worldwide. Many areas, both nationally and internationally, are in dire need for preventative and restorative dental care and do not have the professional workforce to provide care. For some of us, it’s easy to lose sight of how impactful our skill set can be. By sharing my...
America’s Opioid Epidemic and the Responsibility of Dental Professionals
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, every day more than 115 people in the United States die from overdosing on opioids.1 Although opioid addiction does not discriminate against age, many people who suffer from these addictions started using prescription opioid painkillers in their teenage years. Surprisingly, the group of health care providers responsible for...
Oral Implications of Frequent Marijuana Use
In the United States, the use of marijuana has almost doubled since 2013, going from 7% to 13% of adult Americans using marijuana regularly, either recreationally or medically.1 Although the use of the drug is still federally banned, many states have limited legal restrictions to the drug, allowing people to gain easier access to various forms of marijuana for...
How to Discuss Periodontal Disease & Lung/Colon Cancer with Patients
When patients usually think of cancer in a dental setting, the initial thought is oral cancer. As a hygienist, I incorporate an intraoral cancer screening on every patient, examining the tissues of the oral cavity and looking for anything abnormal. Occasionally, a patient will comment, “Doesn’t oral cancer only happen when you use tobacco?” This is an opportunity to...
Oil Pulling My Leg? Separating Fact from Fiction in Regards to Oil Pulling
“I brush once a day and am not the best flosser, but let me tell you, I started to oil pull for twenty minutes every day, and my teeth have never felt better!”
My patient looked at me, waiting for some kind of confirmation that this was a good home care routine, while I examined her teeth and gingiva. I...