"Does Flossing Really Work?"
As I’m sure you’ve read, seen, and been told about, news stations all over the county reporting that flossing is no longer needed, per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans by the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture.
As I’m sure you’ve read, seen, and been told about, news stations all over the county reporting that flossing is no longer needed, per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans by the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture. We’ve seen it and our patients have seen it. Tonight on a walk around my neighborhood, 2 people stopped me and asked if the reports were true. If people are asking on the streets, it is guaranteed that you’ll be asked several times a day for the next month or so by patients in your operatory chair.
So, how should you answer patients when they ask, “Does flossing really work?”
First, explain that the Cochrane review used for the research in the new guidelines reviewed only 12 short term trials. These trials only lasted 1-3 months, where periodontal disease can more than 3 months to manifest. Some of these studies did show a decrease in bleeding gums or gingivitis, but not a decrease in caries. Again, caries can take more than 3 months to manifest intraorally. Unfortunately, long term studies take money and not many people are willing to pay for a study to span several years.
Second, explain that from your personal experience with patients, you do see regular flossing and brushing improve oral health. It can help break up biofilms, which are live microorganisms, that can harm both your gums and your overall health.
Third, show your patient the proper way to floss in a mirror with the show, tell, do method right when they ask the question, even if it is before you begin anything. When a patient actually sees biofilm removed interproximally, it can be a big learning tool to the important of interproximal cleaning. I personally like using blue Cocoa Floss or black POH Floss since the color of the floss highlights the biofilm removal. Or, if your patient shouldn’t even be using floss due to large embrasure spaces, educate them on something else that will help with the biofilm break up. Softpicks by Gum have new curved handles, making it easier for patients to use in posterior teeth.
Finally, show the patient how much you care about their overall and oral health by explaining flossing instead of lecturing. Patients are looking for any excuse not to floss, and this news is the perfect out for them. Keep this is mind with your explanation, and hope that it will all be forgotten in a few weeks and they will be back to their regular oral hygiene routine.
How are you fielding the questions about flossing from recent news articles?
Boge 513 Winner
Congratulations Courtney Barber Rios! You are the winner of our recent give away of a Boge 513 from American Eagle Instruments and a special treat from Hygiene Edge. Email us at hygieneedge@gmail.com with your contact information. We want to thank ALL of our viewers for sharing the good news!!
Hygienist Spotlight- Sarah Theil
Name: Sarah Theil
Dental Hygiene School: San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico
What got you interested in Dental Hygiene? I wanted to be a photographer. I moved up to Provo and was all signed up to attend at the time it was called Utah Valley State College. I was driving down the road and saw a sign for a Dental Assisting school. I remember calling my mom and telling her I unenrolled from UVSC and signed up for dental assisting school, all within a matter of an hour. HAHA. I was a dental assistant for 4 years before I realized how awesome dental hygiene was. I wanted to be able to make my own schedule and see my own patients. Most importantly, I knew one day I wanted to be a mom and I wanted to be able to make enough money in a few days that I could stay home and raise my family the rest of the time. So off to hygiene school I went! That was 11 years ago.
What do you do for work now? I work clinically one day a week. I still have those few patients left that threaten to never get their teeth cleaned as long as they live if I don't do it. I am a secretary on the Dental Hygiene Committee of the NM Board of Dental Healthcare. I am a dental hygiene examiner for two different examining companies. And most recently, I started a company called CE Zoom!
What is CE Zoom? CE Zoom is the only fully automated CE management platform. From one website, a person can be notified of a course, register for it, verify their attendance, take a mandatory survey, receive a digital copy of their CE certificate, track that course against their individual state's rules and regulations, and in participating states have their completed CE transcript submitted straight to the state for license renewal or and audit. This is a great tool for a dental professional, however, it's even better for a company or conference to help manage their presenters, registration, surveys, and certificate distribution! AND from a state dental boards viewpoint, it's a fantastic way to do an audit. The system separates everything into different categories based off of what each individual state's rules are so when the person doing the audit receives a transcript, they don't have to think about what course goes into which category. It is all done and separated out for them. If the person doing the audit relieves a transcript, they don't have to think about what course goes into which category. It is all done and separated out for them. If they person doing the audit doesn't feel like a course was good for that state, they can deny the course and the system will automatically recalculate knowing if that individual passed their audit or not. This is a very basic description of what CE Zoom can do. If you want to know more, get on the site and sign up for a free account!
What is one piece of advice that you'd give yourself as a dental hygiene student? Everything you learn in dental hygiene school IS and could be useful to you at some point! I remember we had to give so many presentations and I could not figure out why and hated every second of it! Now, I know why that was so important and am so grateful that I learned how to do that! I have to stand in front of group of people all the time now and present my company and I honestly feel because I was forced and taught how to do it so early on that this is now very easy for me to do. Also, I wish I had started networking and being more involved in the American Dental Hygiene Association sooner in my career. I could know and could have made so many more connections if I had been networking and volunteering since the day I graduated rather than for the last 5 years.
What is one thing you would want to tell a dental hygienist who is interested in starting their own company? It's not easy. I could count on my hands and feet how many times I wanted to give up. This is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. It's kind of funny- the reason I was really gung ho about starting CE Zoom and making this work is because I wanted to be able to stay home full time with my kids. The COMPLETE opposite has happened. Now I'm gone even more because I have to travel so much to teach people on how amazing this program is. I know though that in a few years things will change and I will be able to to be home more with my kids. However, I absolutely love the opportunities I have gained from all of this! I would have never met all the people I have and made the connections I have if I never started this! I would still be working my 2 days a week and filling in for hygienists when they go out of town, which would have been fine. I remember in February I was in Ohio at dinner with some "big dogs" of a company and I remember just sitting there thinking "Wow! Two years ago I would have NEVER imagined I would be at dinner with these two guys talking about our families like we are old friends." Now I have been invited to be a member of the Crest Smile Council and I get to spread my voice about the importance of CE and why it's important for dental professionals to care about the continuing education they are going to.
Thank you Sarah for letting us highlight you in our latest Hygiene Edge Hygienist Spotlight! If you know a hygienist worth spotlighting, email us at hygieneedge@gmail.com.
Using Gracey's During Root Debridement
Need a refresher on how to use Graceys during root debridement? Then our latest video is for you. Also, remember that in a furcation you will use the 11/12 on the mesial of the distal root and the 13/14 on the distal of the mesial root.
YA! A New Instrument For Hygienists-The Boge 513
American Eagle Instruments have released a new instrument called the Boge 513. It has a Hoe on one side and a Nebraska on the other. The best part of this instrument is that it was created by Emily Boge, a dental hygienist. Check out our latest video on how to use it.
Also, would you like to win one? Head on over to our Facebook page HERE to share the video to your dental hygiene friends to be entered to win one for your office.
Tips and Tricks for Purchasing Scrubs
Professional and uniform dress instills patient confidence in you as a professional. Here are a few tips and tricks in order for uniforms to instill confidence in you.
1. Make sure you try them on. I was in a hurry at the scrub store, you know the days when you get there right before they close and you just grab “your size”. Well, they were HUGE. I have the same “size” in a different brand but the fit was as far from comparable as apples to oranges.
2. Wrinkle Free is the way to be. I remember when I was in school, we’d be subject to a point deduction if we came in wrinkly scrubs. I remember being so frustrated because I swear those scrubs would wrinkle in an instant. Thankfully now, I have the flexibility to choose my own scrub fabric. If you are employed at a place that has pre-ordered scrubs, I would encourage you to have a discussion with your employer about allowing you to choose your own brand as long as you stay in the dress code parameters.
3. Choose colors that are flattering. I have a coworker who makes sure she has a black set of scrubs so when she temps in any office she doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb. Black looks professional on everybody. However, even black can look bad if it looks like you are wearing a garbage bag.
4. It is important that you chose scrubs that have a flattering cut for your body type. I prefer scrub pants with BOTH a drawstring and an elastic waist band to make sure my pants stay up. My favorite scrub tops have a slimmer cut in the waist, buttoned backs or gathering that flatter my shape. I have found the type of fabric has as much to do with the fit as the cut does. As Dental Hygienists, we need fabric that will keep us cool, will stretch with our movement and keep us covered as we move. I prefer a fabric with some stretch. I also look for scrubs with easy access pockets to help me not lose pens and notes.
We’d love to know what makes your scrubs instill confidence in you and help you present yourself in a professional manner. What do you do?
Jessica is wearing Eon Active scrubs, the newest line of scrubs from Maevn Uniforms. We want to give a huge thank you to them for letting us out try their new scrubs!
Maxillary Block Injection-High Tuberosity Approach
Check out our latest video of the maxillary nerve block injection technique.
Technique: Same as the PSA injection (distal to second molar with 45, 45, 45 angles) but with a long needle inserted 3/4 the length.
Pros- 1 injection numbs the maxillary quadrant reducing the amount of injections needed.
Cons- Increased chance of hitting the plexus and is doesn't reduce hemostasis as well. Some supplementary injections still may be needed.
Subgingival Curettage
In 1989 the American Academy of Periodontology stated there’s no justifiable application of gingival curettage during active therapy stages for chronic periodontitis and that it has limited usefulness. There are many states that do require it be taught in the class room and in the clinic, or like California have a separate course you have to take to become licensed. So here is our demonstration for its "limited usefulness" that may be helpful to you.
Providing Oral Hygiene Education Through Blogging
One way to provide oral hygiene education to your patients in between appointments is by blogging. You can share the post on your office website, create a quarterly newsletter to email out, print it out for your patients goody bag, or share it on your office's social media pages. There are many options for topics such as, sharing your favorite dental products, websites and tips.
This can be a great marketing tool as well, as patients then share the information with others through forwarding the e-mail or sharing it on social media with friends. It also helps to keep “the dentist” fresh in their mind so that they return at appropriate maintenance intervals keeping your schedule full.
Here is a sample blog article written by our guest Dr. Bao Nguyen, DDS
Habits that Destroy Your Smile
Dr. Bao Nguyen, DDS
Your smile is often the first thing someone will notice about you. I know a person’s smile really captures my attention. Keeping your smile nice and clean will make you come across as more approachable.
There are some routines that you do that can be destroying your smile and you do not even know it. Here is a list of habits commonly done that hurt your smile.
Brushing too soon after eating
Consuming acidic foods and beverages can harm your teeth due their acidic nature. They will erode your tooth enamel - the glossy outer layer of your tooth. Brushing your teeth too soon after drinking or eating something acidic does not brush out the acid, instead, it brushes it into your teeth. It is best to rinse your teeth with water after consuming something acidic and wait 30 minutes before brushing your teeth.
Excessively bleaching your teeth
Over-bleaching can cause your teeth to look unnaturally white as well as increase tooth sensitivity. Before purchasing an at-home bleaching product, talk to your dentist about which one provides the best results without damaging your teeth.
Not flossing
Everyone knows that brushing your teeth twice a day is important, but not everyone knows that you should floss at least once a day. Flossing gets rid of food that gets left behind in your teeth after eating. Bleeding and irritation can occur when you first start flossing but if you keep at it, it will get better.
Using a hard-bristled toothbrush
A hard-bristled tooth brush along with aggressive brushing can cause irreparable damage to your gums. You want to use a soft-bristled brush coupled with circular brushing to avoid causing sensitivity to your teeth.
Not replacing your toothbrush often
Old toothbrushes do nothing for your teeth and they also harbor bacteria that can cause infection. You are advised to replace your toothbrush every three to four months. Dentists also suggest replacing your toothbrush after you have had a cold.
Cutting back on at least 2 of these habits can help bring back your pearly whites. You might think that you are helping your smile with some of these habits, but now you know what not to do when it comes to your smile.
Author Biography
Dr. Bao Nguyen, DDS
Dr. Nguyen is a trusted dentist at Promenade Dental Care in Temecula, Ca, where he is committed to providing you with the highest quality dentistry possible on every visit, everyday. He will make sure you are given different treatment choices for your dental needs.
How to Teach Your Patients To Clean Their Lower Anteriors More Effectively
I do a lot of oral hygiene education. I do it for my patients to live a healthier life, aaannnd because I'm kind of lazy, I don't want to clean as much when I see my patient in six months ;).
I do a lot of oral hygiene education. I do it for my patients to live a healthier life, aaannnd because I'm kind of lazy, I don't want to clean as much when I see my patient in six months ;).
If a patient uses a manual tooth brush they should be dry brushing starting on the lower right linguals. Research shows patients brush more effectively and longer. In addition to dry brushing I have my patients use many different directions on the LA- vertical, horizontal and oblique. I read an article in a hygiene magazine years ago (I can't remember the magazine) and I have been astonished how much more effective patients are at keeping the lower anterior teeth clean.
I always tell my patients that I want to "adjust" his or her technique to make him or her more effective. I actually take the toothbrush out of the packaging and demonstrate in the patients mouth- showing the bass technique and where I want the patient to start. After I've demonstrated, I put the tooth brush back in the packaging and in the patients bag.
Patients have been VERY receptive and grateful, and I usually have a lot less to clean in 6 months ;)
What to know more about how I teach this skill? Check out me educating a patient on dry brushing HERE.
Hygiene Edge Weekly Challenge: Educate a Patient on Dry Brushing