The “Cs” (or cytokines) are making headline news frequently. The most unfavourable outcomes in COVID-19 patients’ risk profile repeatedly directs our attention to an over-expression of immune response termed a “cytokine storm.” Today’s global research focuses on further understanding the potential role of cytokine storms in dictating the severity of the SARS-CoV-2 viral infection. The … Read more
Up-and-coming social media platform TikTok has well over 1.29 billion active users who post and view short clips on a plethora of different topics, including dental and oral hygiene. Unfortunately, as trendy and popular as these videos are among Gen-Zers, they are all too often based on a poor understanding of dental science. This means … Read more
Dental practices nationwide are facing shortages in qualified staff, in large part because of the pandemic that’s resulted in more people having second thoughts about their careers. In fact, in a survey published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene, 8% of dental hygienists have left the industry since the onset of the pandemic. While there’s … Read more
Q: If a patient has lost one tooth to periodontitis and there are an additional four teeth treatment planned to be extracted due to periodontitis, do these extractions also count as being lost to periodontitis and potentially increase the patient’s stage? A: Yes. The AAP considered that when the worst affected tooth is lost, severity … Read more
We live in very uncertain times. With the spread of COVID-19 in late 2019 and throughout 2020, we are now all living in a world of variants. Just as society was really beginning to feel like we could start getting back to normal, cases of COVID-19 variants such as the delta variant have people all … Read more
Working in the fields takes a physical toll on a person. Long hours and harsh working conditions is the price paid by farmworkers to ensure that grocery stores are stocked and families have food on the table. Martina Hernandez Garcia watched her father work endlessly in the fields before she started harvesting lettuce herself. The experience motivated her … Read more
An orthodontist in Timmins and past president of the Ontario Dental Association says dental care is considered health care, which means dentists will treat anyone in the province regardless of vaccination status. “We also recognize, you know, groups of people can’t get vaccinated,” said Dr. Lou Ann Visconti. “Lots of my patients are under 12 … Read more
Manual and Ultrasonic instrumentation techniques and guidelines for treatment have changed over the past few decades according technological advancements and theoretical interpretation for the literature. Technological advancements in the areas of ergonomics, metallurgy and cryogenic processing have led dental manufacturers to develop instruments that lessen the incidence of musculoskeletal disorder, increase patient comfort, and permit … Read more
Eventually, every dental hygienist will deal with a difficult patient. Despite best efforts, a patient may be angry or upset with the care they have received or something that has been said to them. Sometimes they will be angry for no perceivable reason at all. Regardless of why the patient is being difficult, dental hygienists … Read more
This past year has been a roller coaster ride for everyone, and the job market for dental professionals is no exception. There has been a huge flux in job-seekers looking for new positions and dental offices searching for new team members. And during all of this, there has been a real shift in the dental … Read more
A new worldwide consumer oral health awareness survey across 15 countries has revealed an amazing snapshot of oral health, habits, concerns and desires across the globe. In the largest survey of its kind totalling 15,000 respondents, findings range from the countries best at brushing teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, to the top worst … Read more
Dentists have always needed to take care of their posture. Many dental procedures and surgeries involve some element where craning the neck, twisting the body, and taking unnatural posture can be encouraged. However, with a new Boston University analysis highlighting the face of modern dentistry changing to incorporate digital checkups and robot repairs, the threats that … Read more
The world of healthcare is ever evolving, and as science continues to discover the intricate network of systemic health, the focus becomes more holistic or whole body focused. Connective tissues or fascia have been a long-overlooked system of the body that we are just beginning to understand. Dr. Richard Baxter DMD, MS, talks about the … Read more
The use of fluoride is normally an easy topic to agree upon for evidence-based dental professionals. However, in the past year, I’ve stumbled upon an aspect of fluoride usage that seems to be rather debated between dental professionals. The issue that leads to a difference of opinions is the age that a child should begin … Read more
Still confused about the 2018 AAP Periodontal classification. Never fear! The next few monthly columns will review some of the most important updates made to the industry’s global periodontal guidelines to help hygiene teams achieve the highest level of care. Once we have exhausted this topic we will move onto other questions about the process … Read more
The Support Network for Indigenous Women and Women of Colour (SNIWWOC), in collaboration with Khalsa Aid Canada and Wheely Clean, is breaking down financial barriers to oral healthcare. Always focussed on holistic healthcare program delivery for racialized women, SNIWWOC strives to meet the needs of their community in many ways, from free mental health counseling, … Read more
The prevalence of caries in the primary dentition of children was significantly higher in Calgary, Canada, without fluoridated water, than in Edmonton, where the water is still fluoridated, according to a study published by the journal Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology. Calgary and Edmonton are the two largest cities in the province of Alberta, with a population of … Read more
Dr. Walter Siqueira knows your spit says a lot about you. The University of Saskatchewan dental professor will help analyze spit samples from thousands of Canadians as part of a massive survey he hopes will lead to new understandings on the relationship between dental care, nutrition, socioeconomic status and countless other factors. “This can serve as … Read more
Knowing what I know now, if I could travel back in time and talk to my former professional self—oh, the things I would tell her. With 16 years of experience as an RDH, it’s now been 5 years since I made the decision to become an independent dental hygienist and open my own stand-alone, storefront … Read more
The conditions created for the healthcare industry in 2020 have created substantial pressures for professionals within the industry—dental hygienists and other dental professionals included. A 2021 journal published in the BMC Journal of Systematic Reviews found that, globally, there is huge scope for dental hygienists feeling extra pressure—socially, professionally and ethically. The pressures put on hygienists are greater … Read more