Dental Hygiene

For years fluoride has been dentistry’s gold standard in the fight against tooth decay. In 1945, water fluoridation was implemented. A 60% reduction in tooth decay was reported over a 12-year span after water fluoridation. In 1950, the first fluoride toothpastes were marketed.1,2 The discovery of fluoride has no doubt been a huge benefit in reducing tooth decay. Even...

This is Part 2 of the Oral Care Training for Assisted Living Staff. Part one explored the steps of creating a program to educate staff in general tooth brushing and basic daily home care in assisted living settings. Part two explores training staff in toothbrush storage and sanitation. Toothbrush storage and sanitation play a vital role in any residential or...

Typically, by this time each year the novelty of a brand-new year has worn off, and we find ourselves well on our way back into the daily humdrum of this thing that we call life. As dental hygienists, this means beginning another cycle of six-month recalls—seeing our favorite and not-so-favorite patients, scrubbing down our ops every hour, and trying...

Recently, I had a patient who spoke to me about her efforts in tobacco cessation. She had recently stopped smoking for the 2nd time in her life, but not without much exertion. As she detailed her battle, she mentioned her second round with cigarettes was much more difficult to end than her first. As I probed her for more...

On Monday, March 11, 2019, an affidavit was officially filed before Judge M. Page Kelley in a Boston courthouse to support a criminal complaint of college admissions fraud against dozens of wealthy parents, including periodontist and professor of dentistry, Dr. Homayoun Zadeh. Those indicted include celebrities and prominent individuals such as Hollywood actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, as well as former...

Prevotella intermedia is a species that is found in gingival crevices; it is commonly found in patients who have gingivitis, periodontal disease, and other oral infections.3 Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis and juvenile gingivitis have also been found with this strand exhibited in their bacteria makeup. “The Prevotella species are small anaerobic, gram-negative rods frequently identified when the microbiome of...

New York, New York – Colgate is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the Colgate Award for Research Excellence (C.A.R.E.). The C.A.R.E. Program recognizes a new generation of academic researchers by providing up to $30,000 USD (per project) to support oral health research projects across multiple disciplines. The four junior faculty members chosen to receive this year’s awards are: Abdelhabibe...

Xylitol, the sweetener with a twist; this little 5-carbon molecule packs a punch of health benefits.  Xylitol is a natural sweetener which has properties that have been shown to prevent tooth decay, increase salivary production, and reduce the development of bacteria in the mouth.1 Research shows that five exposures to xylitol a day can significantly inhibit bacterial growth in...

If you would’ve asked me five years ago where I would be today, I would’ve told you, working in a dental office as a clinical hygienist part-time and raising my family the rest of the time. Maybe I would have gotten a raise or two, earning my wage with my expertise, patient-centered care, and exquisite teamwork abilities. I was...

Article sponsored by quip. Studies show that children who start developing habits at an early age are more likely to keep these habits through adulthood. This can be beneficial if the habits they are forming are healthy, like brushing for two minutes twice a day and getting comfortable visiting the dentist and hygienist regularly. On the other hand, unhealthy habits can...