A New look at Systemic Inflammation, Microbiome, Gum Disease Diagnosis, Treatment and Keeping Dental/Gum Disease in Remission Traditionally in dentistry we have been taught to ask our patients to brush, floss and visit us twice a year for checkups to stay healthy. In the last few years we have been hearing that by fixing dental … Read more
Chances are that you know of someone with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) 1, and/or your practice has some patients at high risk or early signs of this same, dreaded condition. And chances are you know that these same individuals are entering a decline in their oral health too. Not only because you observe growing inflammation … Read more
Canada’s dental hygienists will mark National Non-Smoking Week (January 20–26) by urging all Canadians to quit smoking and vaping for better oral and overall health. While most people know that tobacco use is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and lung and mouth cancers, few may be aware of the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, … Read more
Join forces with the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) to support our second annual competition to recognize dental hygiene health care superheroes in communities across Canada. Championed by your oral health defender CDHA and sponsored by Sensodyne®, we’re looking for the heroes in your community who fly to the rescue of clients everywhere, leap oral … Read more
The beginning of a new year is a perfect opportunity to make a fresh start and set new personal and professional goals. With the recent legalization of cannabis in Canada, dental hygienists urge everyone to think carefully before using cannabis, given its negative impact on oral health. “Cannabis use has many side effects that can … Read more
A new study suggests certain types of consumer behaviors, including flossing, contribute to elevated levels in the body of toxic PFAS chemicals. PFAS are water- and grease-proof substances that have been linked with numerous health problems. The findings provide new insight into how these chemicals end up in people’s bodies and how consumers can limit … Read more
Oral hygiene among children and adults with severe hemophilia is poorer than in healthy controls, a single-center study suggests. The study, “Oral hygiene and dentition status in children and adults with hemophilia: A case–control study,” was published in the journal Special Care Dentistry. Dental care is a health concern often neglected by patients with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders due … Read more
Introduction 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 locations from being transmitted to other patients and, therefore, assist in reducing healthcare associated infections. … Read more
There 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 team. Let’s look at managing hygiene exams and assessments. The first question to ask is, … Read more
The 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 Canadian produced comedic program where residents of one town, upon hearing the name of their … Read more
Do 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. More times than not, the majority of the room agrees that their kits are the … Read more
It’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 pull yourself together and head to work. You manage to have a successful and productive … Read more
The 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 president Sophia Baltzis (Quebec), and directors Mandy Hayre (British Columbia), newly elected Alexandra Sheppard (Alberta), … Read more
As 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 fight illness and disease. In other words, smokers have fewer defense mechanisms on the inside … Read more
A 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 the viscosity of e-cigarette liquids and some classes of chemicals in sweet flavors contribute to … Read more
Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) today announced that Team Schein Members (TSMs) from around the world have collaborated to build more than 17,000 hygiene kits for girls, children, and adults living in international emergency areas. TSMs assembled the kits as part of the Company’s inaugural We Care Global Challenge, an initiative that aims to bring … Read more
She 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 infection. But after a week, feeling nauseous with a “bad taste in her mouth,” the US woman … Read more
If 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: can fertility in men be affected by poor oral health? The answer is a definitive … Read more
When Márta Demoth worked as a dentist in Nunavut, she says she felt more like a firefighter than a dentist. The teeth of many of the roughly 3,000 Nunavut patients she saw between 2014 and 2016 were so bad that often she had no choice but to extract their teeth instead of repair them. Children … Read more
Elderly individuals with fewer teeth, poor dental hygiene, and more cavities constantly ingest more dysbiotic microbiota, which could be harmful to their respiratory health, according to new research published in the journal mSphere. The findings come from a large, population-based study that identified variations in the tongue microbiota among community-dwelling elderly adults in Japan. “Fewer teeth, … Read more