Dear Hygiene Insider,
What qualities make for a safety-focused dental practice? Nearly 400 hygienists shared their thoughts in a recently published study. Hygienists who worked less than 41 hours per week and saw fewer than eight patients per day were more likely to report their practices had a culture focused on patient safety. Read more findings in our Insider Exclusive.
The Hygiene Community is filled with research linking periodontal health to overall wellness. In one landmark study, researchers found that experiencing caries or periodontal disease as a child may be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The authors emphasized that oral infections in childhood may even be a modifiable risk factor for heart disease in adulthood.
There is also an abundance of new research on periodontal disease, glycemic control, and diabetes. Some highlights include the following:
- Patients with undetected glucose disorders have a higher risk of both periodontitis and myocardial infarction.
- A study found significant differences in microbiota between study participants with normal glucose tolerance and those with diabetes.
- The onset and progression of puberty may be a better predictor of periodontal disease than patients' age or length of experience with diabetes.
Finally, researchers compared the cleaning power of manual and electric toothbrushes. After putting more than 100 brushes to the test, they concluded that maybe the type of toothbrush isn't responsible for the outcome. The researchers found no differences in plaque, clinical parameters, and brushing duration between people who used manual and powered brushes.
