Please activate JavaScript!
Please install Adobe Flash Player, click here for download

Hygiene Tribue U.S. Edition

Do you have general comments or criti- cism you would like to share? Is there a particular topic you would like to see articles about in Hygiene Tribune? Let us know by e-mailing feedback@dental- tribune.com. We look forward to hearing from you! If you would like to make any change to your subscription (name, address or to opt out) please send us an e-mail at database@dental-tribune.com and be sure to include which publication you are referring to. Also, please note that sub- scription changes can take up to 6 weeks to process. Tell us what you think! HYGIENE TRIBUNE The World’s Dental Hygiene Newspaper · U. S. Edition Publisher & Chairman Torsten Oemus t.oemus@dental-tribune.com Chief Operating Officer Eric Seid e.seid@dental-tribune.com Group Editor & Designer Robin Goodman r.goodman@dental-tribune.com Editor in Chief Hygiene Tribune Angie Stone, RDH, BS a.stone@dental-tribune.com Managing Editor/Designer Implant, Endo & Lab Tribunes Sierra Rendon s.rendon@dental-tribune.com Managing Editor/Designer Ortho Tribune & Show Dailies Kristine Colker k.colker@dental-tribune.com Online Editor Fred Michmershuizen f.michmershuizen@dental-tribune. com Account Manager Mark Eisen m.eisen@dental-tribune.com Marketing Manager Anna Wlodarczyk a.wlodarczyk@dental-tribune.com Sales & Marketing Assistant Lorrie Young l.young@dental-tribune.com C.E. Manager Julia E. Wehkamp j.wehkamp@dental-tribune.com C.E. International Sales Manager Christiane Ferret c.ferret@dtstudyclub.com Dental Tribune America, LLC 116 West 23rd Street, Suite 500 New York, NY 10011 Tel.: (212) 244-7181 Fax: (212) 244-7185 Published by Dental Tribune America © 2011 Dental Tribune America, LLC All rights reserved. Hygiene Tribune strives to maintain utmost accuracy in its news and clinical reports. If you find a factual error or content that requires clarification, please contact Group Editor Robin Goodman at r.goodman@dental-tribune.com. Hygiene Tribune cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims or for typographical errors. The publisher also does not assume responsibility for product names or statements made by advertisers. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and may not reflect those of Dental Tribune America. easy to learn how to use, however, there are disadvantages. These probes do not provide constancy between cli- nicians because there is no way to ensure clinicians use the same pres- sure when probing. Clinicians also visualize the probe reading differently, which leads to the recording of different depths. Utiliz- ing a first generation probe requires pocket dept data to be recorded by another team member, or the clinician is forced to record data alone. The lat- ter can be very time consuming and inefficient. Second generation probes intro- duced standardization of probing forc- es and constant pressure, but the issue of documenting data was still present. With the inception of third generation probes (Florida Probe 1986), data is transferred into the computer from the probe while probing. Probing forces are standardized, resulting in more consistency of read- ings between clinicians. In addition, these probes are more comfortable for the patient. Errors in reading the probe and transferring the data are eliminated. Periodontal examination Dentistry in 2011 is very different than it was in the 1930s. Most of us have seen images of dental operato- ries from the mid 1900s. If we think about those images, we can probably remember seeing belt-driven hand- pieces, cuspidors and dental chairs resembling barber chairs. Today, none of these things remain. However, there are two things that were utilized 70 years ago that are still being used today and have remained relatively unchanged: the explorer and the periodontal probe. The Williams Periodontal Probe was invented in 1936 by periodontist Charles H. M. Williams and remains the prototype, or benchmark, for all first-generation probes. First genera- tion probes are simply a bent piece of stainless steel with markings on it to allow measuring to take place. In 1936 this probe was a wonderful invention, but in the year 2011, first generation probes really have no place in the hygiene operatory, just as belt- driven handpieces have no place in the operatory. First generation probes are readily available, inexpensive and relatively data is printed out from the computer and used for patient education. There are dental schools that are not advocating the use of an explorer for caries detection because there are better ways to detect caries. While schools have not abandoned the con- cept of probing to screen periodontal health, there are more effective ways of probing. Consider discarding archaic probes in favor of a probing system that is reflective of the times. HT Best Regards, Angie Stone, RDH, BS Get with the ‘probe-gram’ levels or for treatment needs. For more tips to ensure a child has good oral health, visit www. knowyourteeth.com. About www.knowyourteeth.com www.knowyourteeth.com is the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) source of consumer infor- mation on dental care and oral health. Its goal is to provide reliable information in a format that is easy to use and navigate, and to provide the tools that will help consumers of all ages to care for their teeth and other aspects of oral care. www.knowyourteeth.com an- swers important dental health questions, offers the latest infor- mation on current dental treat- ments and tips for first-rate oral hygiene, and can help visitors find qualified dentists near where they live or work. HT Editor’s Letter HYGIENE TRIBUNE | February 20112D Baby’s first steps to a healthy mouth There are many things that parents can do with their child at home to maintain good oral health: • Clean the infant’s gums with a clean, damp cloth twice a day. • Ask a dentist when you may begin to rub a tiny dab of tooth- paste on the child’s gums. Doing so will help the child become accustomed to the flavor of tooth- paste. • As soon as the first teeth come in, begin brushing them with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and a pea-sized dab of fluoride tooth- paste. • Help a young child brush at night, which is the most impor- tant time to brush, due to lower salivary flow during sleep and higher susceptibility to cavities and plaque. • By approximately age 5, a child can learn to brush his or her teeth with proper parental instruction and supervision. “The best way to teach a child how to brush is to lead by your good example,” says Ghareeb. “Allowing your child to watch you brush your teeth teaches the importance of good oral hygiene.” Children, like adults, should see the dentist every six months. Some dentists may schedule interim vis- its for every three months when the child is very young, to build the child’s comfort and confidence Parents are a child’s first teach- ers in life and they play a sig- nificant role in maintaining their child’s overall health. In obser- vance of National Children’s Den- tal Health Month, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) encour- ages parents to introduce good oral health habits to their children during infancy. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preven- tion, tooth decay affects children in the United States more than any other chronic infectious disease, highlighting the need for thorough oral care and regular dental visits. The ideal time for a child to visit the dentist is six months after the child’s first teeth erupt. Dur- ing this initial visit, a dentist will be able to examine the develop- ment of the child’s mouth. “Parents are surprised when I tell them that their infants can develop tooth decay and cavities soon after their teeth first appear,” says AGD spokesperson Steven A. Ghareeb, DDS, FAGD. “We usually call this baby-bot- tle tooth decay, which is caused by the long-term exposure to liquids containing sugars like milk, for- mula and fruit juice.” In addition to tooth decay, other dental problems, such as teething irritations, gum disease and pro- longed thumb or pacifier sucking, often start early. The sooner the child visits a dentist, the better. (Photo/Dawn Balaban, Dreamstime. com) February is National Children’s Dental Health Month Disclosure: Angie Stone is an avid user of Florida Probe in her clinical practice. She trains office staff to use Florida Probe after they purchase the system and occa- sionally lectures on the topic of periodon- tal disease and the use of Florida Probe, both of which she is compensated for by the makers of Florida Probe.