Patient Care

Sulfa allergies and sulfite allergies are sometimes confused during conversations with dental patients. The names are very similar, and patients can be uncertain about which allergy they experience. This misperception has the potential to result in an overcautious approach when choosing the proper dental anesthetic for patients, as well as possibly an incorrect antibiotic regimen. Conversing with the patient...

The work environments of dental hygienists are not all the same; some are private practices, while some are group practices (DSO) or public clinics. Dental hygienists also treat patients in different ways, depending on allowable duties and/or equipment available in the office ‒ all according to the individual patient's needs. Many dental providers understand the "traditional" way of dental hygiene...

Disclosure: This article is sponsored content from Septodont as part of our sponsored partner program. During my early years in dentistry, I was a dental assistant before going to dental hygiene school. I have a distinct memory that is seared into my brain of a child around five years old who had restorative work completed only to return the next day with...

What will you see when driving down any country highway in Montana? Our country's flag is flapping in the cool Chinook winds, sun-faded John Deere green tractors, a rancher, riding horseback with his sly heeler dog, fields of golden Montana wheat rippling upward to the Snowy Mountains ‒ iconic western imagery and home to the state's residents. You will also...

We have all experienced the child patient who sits down in your chair after having sealants placed six months ago … and they’re gone. Just like the mystery behind the establishment of Stonehenge, it’s the curious case of the missing sealants! Looking back, you were the one who placed them, and the progress notes indicated no issues. You did not...

Effective anesthesia does not have to be a source of anxiety for patients or practitioners. Most of us dread the mandibular inferior alveolar nerve block (MIANB) and will try anything to avoid giving this injection. I am one of those practitioners who have explored other options to achieve pain-free anesthesia and pain-free periodontal treatment. When I was learning to give...

In 2017, the American Dental Association developed a new code for hygiene care: D4346, or scaling in the presence of generalized moderate or severe inflammation – full mouth after oral evaluation. This is a form of treatment that dentists and hygienists worked for years to create. However, even five years later, most dental offices are not utilizing this code. Many...

Have any dental patients stated that they want to eat better, but “I just don’t know where to start,” and if so, what did you tell them? Do you, as a dental hygienist, even know where to start? What does it take to form a new habit? After all, new beginnings aren’t anything new. As a matter of fact, many...

Scleroderma is an autoimmune connective tissue and rheumatic disease that causes inflammation in the skin and other areas of the body, including the face and mouth. Oral manifestations of scleroderma may directly affect a person's ability to maintain optimal oral health. Dental hygienists may be the first health care provider to note scleroderma. Early detection, medical referral, and treatment are...

Seasonal allergies can be dreadful. Everyone seems to be affected to some degree. Did you know that certain seasonal allergies can cause oral symptoms as well? Patients may not realize the connection or that there is a possibility that their oral symptoms could be linked to certain seasonal allergies. Studies indicate that 20% to 70% of people who suffer...