If caught early, gum disease is something a patient can manage themselves with proper hygiene and management of their diet. However, it is not always easy for patients to maintain their oral health at home nor is access to dental care always guaranteed. Once gum disease has progressed, we can’t expect at-home care alone to be enough, nor can we expect normal hygiene appointments to solve the problem. As clinicians, it is important that we consider adjunctive treatments that can be added to our normal routine that will put our patients in their best state of dental health.
Diagnostics (Basel) 2022, G Laza et al
Much like with the rest of our body, hormones can also wreak havoc on our oral health. Periodontal issues already plague our older generations, but the added weight of menopausal hormones can increase the chances of developing other conditions affecting your oral health. Due to the low hormonal concentrations associated with the postmenopausal period, there is also a chance of periodontitis worsening. The following article studies the effects of using Arestin minocycline microspheres along with scaling and root planing on postmenopausal female patients to determine the benefits after just 3 months.
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The definition of pain is physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury. Unfortunately, pain is a part of daily life whether it’s caused by accidental trauma or the result of a necessary surgery, and how we deal with pain is unique from person to person. In the dental world, we have many tools in our arsenal to combat our patients’ pain, but what is available that offers the least risk to your patient?
BDJ Open 2022, E Martin et al
Articaine, which was first introduced in the Canadian dental market in 1985 has been a popular choice for clinicians for many years. It performs just as well as lidocaine but offers extra benefits such as safer second injections, quick metabolization, and a higher degree of safety for those with liver issues. Articaine also offers more thorough anesthesia than lidocaine in situations where infection/inflammation is present. Despite the many benefits and overall strength of Articaine, there remains a taboo when using it due to fear of paresthesia, despite it being disproved. The following article will seek to ascertain the use of Articaine among general practitioners, the basis of their perceptions about articaine and whether current practices are in line with recent evidence regarding articaine safety and efficacy.
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Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, infection control has become a worldwide obsession. As we have learned, there are many requirements we as dental professionals must meet in order to safely treat our patients. While these requirements are fairly standard across the healthcare world, there are still choices to be made when it comes to selecting the best products to use in our office.
J Hosp Infec 2022, G Kampf
As we make our way out of winter and finally emerge from what has been a season of frequent illnesses for many, the last thing we want to hear is the news of another virus spreading around the world. However, as of April 12th, the number of global cases of monkeypox virus has surged to 86 956 and with transmission being skin-to-skin or through respiratory secretions, dental offices have a particular need to pay attention to these statistics. With the extensive infection control parameters put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is fair to say the majority of dental offices are prepared to put their best foot forward when it comes to preventing the spread of disease. However, the question remains which of the available disinfectants are the best to use to ensure the cleanliness of your offices? The following article will evaluate the current published data discussing the antiviral efficacy of biocidal agents and disinfectants against the monkeypox virus and other orthopoxviruses.
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