You are about to begin dental treatment on your healthy 65-year-old male patient when he suddenly develops severe chest pain. You suspect he is having an acute myocardial infarction and immediately call 911. You then refer back to the treatment algorithm, MONA, an acronym (morphine, oxygen, nitroglycerin and aspirin) used in the management of patients … Read more
We are living in a systemically compromised world. As the prevalence of physical illness increases through the decades, we, as dental hygienists, are finding ourselves in a position to help with early evaluation. As RDH are competent in so many aspects of client care, we are constantly putting the pieces of the proverbial puzzle together, … Read more
Ever wonder what organ really controls our body? Most assume it is the heart. The heart pumps blood to the lungs, which is needed to breath efficiently. Both heart and lungs are vital to the human body’s machinery – but consider the tongue! Medical communities are surprised at this possible revelation. Is the tongue a … Read more
Dental professionals are being held responsible for recognizing their patients’ areas of poor health, especially outside their mouths. In a recent survey conducted by Oral Health Group*, 85 per cent of dentists said they perform some form of health assessment on their patients as part of their regular exam. When asked about the types of … Read more
From RDH – by Karen Davis – karen@karendavis.net Front office administrators, dental assistants, dentists, and dental hygienists have one thing in common: Patients will approach any of them to ask about something they just read or heard on TV regarding how the oral cavity impacts the rest of the body. They don’t discriminate. We’re all … Read more