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Gloves Spread Disease and Have Created an Infection Control Dilemma
by John Hardie, BDS, MSc, PhD, FRCDCIntroduction Non-sterile clinical gloves are a key component of Standard Precautions. It was envisaged that their use, when there was a risk of direct contact with blood, body fluids, non-intact skin or mucous membranes, would prevent potential pathogens in those…
Managing Your Hygiene Schedule
by Lisa Philp, Chief Visionary Officer, TGNA – Transitions Group North AmericaThere are many systems that can be implemented in a dental practice to enhance time management between dentists and hygienists. Although these solutions are relatively simple and easy to implement, they require the cooperation of all members of the administrative…
Backflow Matters — Think Disposable
by Sheri B. Doniger DDSDo you ever request your patients to close on the saliva ejector to evacuate fluids from their mouths? If so, when was the last time you effectively cleaned out the valve? When a patient closes on the saliva ejector or…
Saliva – More Important Than You Think
by Dorothy Garlough RDH, MPAThe public’s perception of saliva is low indeed. The act of spitting on someone is considered a vile act, one of disrespect, and even hate. Yet, in some cases, spitting can be done in a joking manner, as in a…
Creating a Unique Tray Set-up, and the Evolution of Dental Hygiene Instruments
by Kathleen Bokrossy, RDHDo you find that each of your instrumentation kits typically contain the same instruments? Are most of your instruments similar to what you were taught in school? I usually start my instrumentation presentations by asking the audience these two questions.…
Take Your Time
by Jillian Cecchini, Managing EditorIt’s that time of year. The alarm goes off and you get out of bed to start the day. You peek outside the window and surprise – it’s still dark. Your motivation to get the day started is lagging. You…
Canadian Dental Hygienists Celebrate Excellence
by CDHAThe Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) is proud to recognize a number of individuals for their outstanding contributions to the dental hygiene profession, the national association, research, and knowledge translation. “Our 2018 award winners have set high goals and achieved…
Canada’s Dental Hygienists Elect New President
by CDHAThe Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) is pleased to announce the installation of its new president, Tracy Bowser, at its recent Leadership Summit held in Charlottetown, PEI. Tracy is from Prince Edward Island and joins president-elect Leanne Huvenaars (Saskatchewan), past…
Hu-Friedy Launches Exclusive Subscription Sharpening Service for Busy Dental Professionals
by Hu-FriedyHu-Friedy, the global leader in dental instrument manufacturing and infection prevention solutions, today announced the launch of EverCare, a new subscription-based scaler sharpening service for dental professionals that demand peak performance from their Hu-Friedy instruments. Even the highest quality dental scalers…
Dental Hygiene Care for Survivors of Childhood Abuse
by Linda M. Douglas, RDH, BScWe have all been mystified and even exasperated by our more challenging clients, for example: those with inadequate self-care despite having sufficient manual dexterity; and people who attend irregularly for dental care, or fail to show up for scheduled appointments.…
An Emerging, Integrated Model of Oral Health Care
by Julie DiNardo, RDHThe traditional model of medicine treats the body as individual systems and organs. This “dis-integrated” model of medical care also frequently excludes the oral cavity. Some examples we are all too familiar with: a physician or an endocrinologist overlooks the…
Significant Trends in Global Oral Health and Oral Cancer: The Power of Cultural Oral Habits
by Sherry Priebe RDH, BDSc, MScOral cancer is a serious disease and for dental professionals, the stakes are high. Detrimental cultural oral habits are deeply entrenched in today’s global societies resulting in greater potential for people to develop mucosal lesions and oral cancer. By learning…
Periodontitis Staging and Grading
by Beth Ryerse, RDHWe are being challenged every day to grow as professionals. It is often difficult to keep up with all of the new information that seems to bombard us. The necessity of oral cancer screening, routinely, on a younger demographic. Infection…
5 Ways to Boost Your Immune System This Fall
by Uche OdiatuIs this you? “I get two bad colds a year, one in the winter and another in the summer.” A week or two of down time for a cold or flu can cost you thousands of dollars in sick days…
Turning Over a New Leaf
by Jillian Cecchini, Managing EditorSimply put, change in inevitable. All around us, change is happening on a daily basis. Why is it that so many of us are instantly turned off by the thought of change? It’s constantly happening, yet we still allow ourselves…
Dental Research Shows That Smoking Weakens Immune Systems
by Case Western Reserve UniversityAs if lung cancer, emphysema and heart disease weren’t enough, there’s more bad news for cigarette smokers. Researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine found that smoking also weakens the ability for pulp in teeth to…
Research Study Finds Sweet Flavors in E-cigarette Liquids May Increase Risk of Dental Cavities
by ADA FoundationA new research study has determined that vaping sweet e-cigarettes can increase the risk of dental cavities. The study investigated changes in cariogenic potential when tooth surfaces were exposed to certain e-cigarette aerosols in a controlled environment. The combination of…
1 out of 5 Texans Has Not Seen a Dentist in 5 Years or More
by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of AmericaMany Texans would agree that healthy teeth and gums are important, however a Guardian survey shows Texans aren’t backing it up with regular visits to the dentist. In fact, 1 out of 5 Texans admit they haven’t seen a dentist in 5…
Woman Develops a ‘Black Hairy Tongue’ After Horrific Car Accident
by Madeline Cox, Kid SpotShe felt nauseous and had a bad taste in her mouth but didn’t think anything of it until she looked in the mirror. After the accident that left the 55-year-old woman with both legs crushed, doctors told her to take antibiotics to prevent…
Poor Oral Hygiene Can Lead To Erectile Dysfunction & Infertility
by Dr. Lewis Ehrlich & The MH Team, Men's HealthIf we want to increase the chances of falling pregnant and produce a child that is as healthy as possible, it makes sense that both the male and female are as healthy as can be. So, this begs the question:…