Dental Hygiene

As a practicing dental hygienist, I know every day I will fail to perfectly communicate the importance of diligent daily oral health care to a patient. I would like to believe that every single instance where a patient presents with gingivitis or incipient decay, I would be able to impress upon them the need to clean interdentally once, brush...

The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear the word "charcoal," is a great tasting chargrilled burger. What I do not think about is rubbing a charcoal powder to cleanse my face or use as a facial peel. I also don't think about plastering black clumps of charcoal all over my teeth to try to whiten...

Clinical teledentistry made its debut with the United States military in 1994 but has surprisingly remained absent from our professional lives until recently1. Now, however, it is one of the hottest topics among oral health providers everywhere. The word “teledentistry” has become fresh, somewhat mysterious, and simply mentioning it prompts instant questions and interest. Revolutionary things like this are...

The question comes up a lot: How do I expand my career outside of the clinical setting? It is quite difficult to answer this question. Not because there are no opportunities, there’s actually many. It’s because there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to answer this question. It really depends on you, as an individual; including your particular goals, expectations, skillset, and what...

Health trends are like bad friends, they come and go. It is easy to get sucked into the pressure of the latest diet and lifestyle trend that is sure to give you that bikini body you have been working to achieve since high school. “Probiotic,” “good bacteria,” “microbiome,” “healthy gut,” are they just trendy buzzwords or have scientists finally...

During a recent continuing education event in Chapel Hill, NC, the speaker eluded over and over that change in dentistry IS coming to our beloved profession. If you were a dental hygiene graduate of 10, 15, or even 20 years ago, we have seen advances like none before, and more is on the way! Hygienists play a critical role...

In December 2016, the world of dentistry lost a remarkable and groundbreaking woman, just three days after her 100th birthday. Esther Wilkins, the "matriarch of dental hygiene" was first licensed as a hygienist in 1939, and presided over decades of revolutionary changes in oral health and dental practice. Her long career in the field spanned sweeping changes such as: The evolving...

Laser. The word sounds scary if it isn’t understood. A laser produces a narrow and intense beam of light energy which can be used to treat a wide range of dental conditions. For a hygienist, the laser is an effective and comfortable way to decontaminate periodontal pockets, help treat gingivitis, remove necrotic tissue, or treat an annoying canker sore....

Oil pulling, and the supposed health benefits of it, has been making the rounds for a few years now. You've probably even had a patient or two ask you about it. Spread through articles on social media and online blogs, oil pulling is touted as the latest and greatest way to improve oral health and purify your body. As a...

There are many misconceptions regarding oral hygiene and the mouth that some of our patients believe to be true. With a large amount of false information found online, it’s no wonder our patients can be easily led in the wrong direction when it comes to oral health. It’s always important to remember that just because you read something online, doesn’t...