Dear DrBicuspid Member,
In our top story of the week, experts advised oral surgeons to consider prematurely extracting third molars of children before they start bone disease therapy.
This practice could prevent medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw stemming from the use of antiresorptive therapies to treat bone diseases and cancer-related conditions in children. Though doctors prescribe antiresorptive therapies more often for adults, children do still receive these medications -- and their effects are less studied in pediatric patients.
Risks of opioids and secondhand smoke
One recent study highlighted the risks of opioids filled for dental procedures. Overdose risk was nearly three times higher for patients who filled opioid prescriptions after undergoing dental procedures, researchers found. The risk of overdosing was also double for family members of those dental patients.
In more bad news, exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke may increase a person's risk of developing lip, mouth, and throat cancers by more than 50%. A systematic review showed that people who breathed in secondhand smoke for more than 10 to 15 years were twice as likely to develop oral cancer as people not exposed to passive smoke.
Safety of ultrasonic scalers
One new story you don't want to miss is about the safety of ultrasonic scalers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a May 4 webinar, JoAnn Gurenlian, RDH, PhD, advised dental hygienists to consider multiple factors, including positive COVID-19 cases in their communities, before using ultrasonic scalers on patients. Gurenlian explored the idea of what the future dental practice will look like as the world transitions from pandemic to postpandemic.
Congratulations, graduates!
Finally, I want to give a big congratulations to all students graduating into dental professions in 2021. I cannot imagine the stress and complication of completing a health professions degree (or any degree) in the middle of a pandemic. But you did it!
To help make your transition from school to chairside a little easier, Dr. Mark Hyman has provided 10 questions new graduates should ask new patients. And if people are a little hesitant about your clinical skills, point them to a recent Journal of the American Dental Association study that found 2021 dental school graduates are just as competent as any other graduating class -- and maybe even more resilient.
