My path to #ASDAfever is a wild one. I believe dental students are “wild” in so many diverse ways — we are wild about Friday nights, wild about advocacy, wild about self-reflection and wildly focused on creating a brighter future. Together, we are all wild about dentistry.
Coffee is a universal language, whether it’s a caramel macchiato with almond milk and whip or a tiny espresso shot more relatable to tar. There is care and precision that goes into transforming a humble plant into a delicious beverage. It may greet us every morning before anyone else, but do we really know anything about it? Let’s take a look at the behind-the-scenes world of our morning — and sometimes late-night — best friend.
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To kick off ASDA’s Week of Service, we are highlighting the achievements of the 2017 Dentistry in the Community grant recipients. In February 2017, five chapters were awarded $500 each to develop and implement a program or event that focuses on the prevention of dental disease and/or the promotion of oral health for any underserved population within their community. Here, we’re highlighting each of those events.
Fear of injection is a significant factor for those who avoid dental treatment. Emotion is a major component in how we perceive pain. Particularly of interest to dental professionals are the emotions associated with local anesthesia injections. In anatomy, we learn the limbic system, prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate gyrus control emotion. A 1991 study in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology and Behavior Neurology, found cancer patients with these areas of the brain removed perceived pain differently.
The question of anesthesia always comes up when discussing the removal of wisdom teeth. Mine were extracted with the use of local anesthesia and nitrous oxide. Many patients select intravenous sedation or general anesthesia, despite the increased cost and risk. The power to remove pain is one of the greatest tools and practice builders offered to oral professionals. Altering consciousness has been an effective way to reduce patient discomfort since the 19th century. William Morton, an American dentist, used diethyl ether to successfully perform an extraction without pain. Advances in sedation and anesthesia have led to a standardized protocol for painless surgery. However, sedation utilized without proper medical history review and training can lead to tragic consequences. In October 2016, at the American Dental Association (ADA) annual meeting, Resolution 37 was passed. The resolution called for revisions to the safety regulations for providing anesthesia and sedation. The full resolution can be found in Appendix 1 of the Report of Reference Committee C: Dental Education, Science, and Related Matters.
With technology’s growing presence within dentistry, having photographs of our dental work has become increasingly crucial. Clinical photographs can provide documentation, help patients visualize their intraoral conditions, and most importantly, showcase all your hard work. When searching for employment opportunities, photographs of your dental work can flaunt your abilities as a clinician.
Has anyone ever told you that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s? Unfortunately there is no real way to compare the two; it’s much like comparing apples to oranges. Dogs and humans have species-specific bacteria in their mouths. For example, caries disease caused by S. mutans, prevalent in almost 90% of school children, only plagues 5% of our canine companions. S. mutans, which feed on sugar, are much more likely to reside in our mouths than a dog’s due to our high sugar diet and acidic oral environment. On the other hand, P. gingivalis, the culprit to human periodontal disease, has a sibling strain found in dogs called P. gulae. Periodontal disease can be found in more than 60% of domesticated dogs, and that percentage can be as high as 90% in senior small breeds. Dental abscesses and periodontal disease can be life threatening to dogs. It is important that we take care of their oral health starting at a young age! Here are some tips to get started.
