Dental Hygiene

While digging in the abyss of research studies, I fell across information about a potential new antibiotic that may have a chance to be utilized in the treatment of periodontal disease without drug resistance and would spare beneficial bacteria. For many years, the standard of care for treating periodontal disease included scaling and root planing. We may sometimes adjunctively use...

Disclosure: This video is sponsored by LISTERINE®. Dr. Michael Lynch, the Global Director of Scientific Engagement of Oral Health at LISTERINE®, and Kara Vavrosky, RDHEP, discuss the science of LISTERINE® Antiseptic Mouthwash and clear up some myths surrounding antiseptic mouth rinse. Dive into the science of LISTERINE® Antiseptic Mouthwash here: https://www.listerineprofessional.com/the-science-of-listerine/attack-plaque

How often do we hear, “Just take my teeth out and give me dentures because my parents had them,” from dental patients? Or, “I’m prone to cavities because I was born with soft teeth” as they drink soda and brush once a day? “Prone” is thrown haphazardly around since everyone is prone to something. Prone is having the natural inclination...

Every 37 seconds, cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills someone in the United States – more than all cancers combined.1 Even though death rates for coronary heart disease have dropped by two-thirds during the past 40 years, CVD still accounts for 35% of all American deaths per year and is clinically diagnosed in 80 million Americans.1 While the absolute number of deaths...

Over the past several years, a push for mid-level dental practitioners has been underway to better provide care for at-risk and underserved populations. Mid-level dental practitioners are essentially the equivalent of a nurse practitioner or physician assistant in medicine. States such as Alaska, Washington, and Minnesota are just a few examples of areas where these mid-level practitioners can train...

Decades after the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was first introduced, it is still one of the most misunderstood federal health laws in effect, including within dentistry. Prior to HIPAA, no generally accepted set of security standards or general requirements for protecting health information existed for health care. Recent events concerning vaccination requirements for employment have...

Dentistry is an integral part of our overall health, and the profession has gained recognition for its contributions during the last three centuries. In the 20th century, women in dentistry had increasingly become the profession's primary caregivers. In a once male-dominated profession, women now make up roughly 48% of practicing dentists and 95% of practicing dental hygienists and assistants.1,2 The...

The first time I heard the phrase, “dental hygiene diagnosis,” I was completely befuddled. What in the world could this be referring to? Dental hygienists, if I understood correctly, were legally prohibited from diagnosing; the right to diagnose remained the dentist’s right alone. So what does a “dental hygiene diagnosis” involve? Did this phrase refer more to observations such...

Documentation is a very important piece of the dental hygiene process of care. Chart notes are considered legal documents and, according to the American Dental Association, are "critical in the event of a malpractice insurance claim."1 The notes keep track of the procedures, treatments, recommendations, and findings from previous dental visits. The documentation also reminds dental hygiene professionals how the patient is...

A woman goes through many changes during the nine months of pregnancy. It is always exciting to see the first signs of a baby bump, and most moms-to-be are concerned about the health of their growing baby. Unfortunately, these women can be misinformed or not informed at all about how pregnancy can affect oral health and how their oral...