Dear Hygiene Insider,
High levels of pretreatment anxiety were reported in about a third of patients awaiting their regular dental hygiene appointments in a new study in BMC Oral Health. Increased levels of anxiety may affect a patient's receptiveness to treatment, healthcare information, and behavior modification. Read more in the Insider Exclusive by Features Editor Donna Domino.
In other Hygiene Community news, Dr. Lisa Knowles writes that this might happen every day in your office: A patient sits in your chair and you see red gums and too much plaque. When you learn that the patient's home-care routine consists of the occasional use of a pick, how do you react? She calls for working on the communication skills necessary to encourage patients to make changes.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released two new infection-control and prevention resources for dental practices, in partnership with the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention. Read Assistant Editor Theresa Pablos' article here.
A recent economic analysis found chewing sugar-free gum may be able to save the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS) millions. The analysis showed that if 12-year-olds in England chewed one more piece of gum per day, the NHS could save up to 8.2 million pounds ($11.6 million) per year. Learn more here.
Pediatric halitosis, which is often caused by periodontal disease, can have a strong negative impact on a child's social standing in school and adult self-esteem that originates during the formative years. Dr. Jim Hyland presents a case report of treating this issue in a 7-year-old female patient.
