Dear DrBicuspid Member,
Patients can safely undergo necessary dental x-rays at any stage of pregnancy if proper safety equipment is used appropriately, according to a recent narrative review. Our top story of the week explains why the review authors say dental x-rays pose little risk of fetal abnormalities.
More pregnancy-related news
While dental x-rays may not be cause for alarm, pregnant patients should worry about their gum health. More than one-third of pregnant people experience periodontitis, and about two-thirds experience bleeding on probing, according to a new review that called periodontal disease an "epidemic trend."
Also published this week, a large Swedish study tied prenatal fluoride exposure to increased birth size and higher odds of infants being born large for their gestational age. The findings couldn't be explained by the water source or by food consumed during pregnancy except for tea and fruit, the authors noted.
Teledentistry in practice
Curious about what the use of teledentistry looks like in practice? In a Q&A piece, Dr. Kylie Wasserman shared how she has adapted to using teledentistry in her dental service organization practice in rural Oregon. Offering virtual consultations can help cut down on emergency room visits for dental pain and save time and gas money for patients who live far away, according to Wasserman.
Creative use of a dental stool
Last but not least, researchers came up with a creative way to use a dental stool to help clinicians to perform more effective CPR chest compressions. In a recent article, the authors depict how positing a stool under a chair below a patient's shoulders allows for successful manual chest compressions by supporting the backrest of dental chairs.
