Maine dental board defends rule change; hydroxyapatite eases tooth sensitivity

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Following a recent change to Maine's access rules for school-based preventive dental care, public health hygienists across the state are now required to contact a child's dentist if the child was seen within the past year by the provider before the hygienist can provide any care.

The dental board says the rule change improves communication between providers, but advocates for children's oral health say it creates an unnecessary barrier to care.

In other news, a study in Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontology found few examples of postoperative bleeding after invasive dental procedures performed on warfarin users. However, the risk was significantly greater in patients taking other anticoagulants in addition to warfarin.

Meanwhile, in Cosmetics Community news, a nano-hydroxyapatite paste shows promise in reducing the number of days a patient experiences tooth sensitivity following tooth bleaching, according to a study in the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry. Read more.

And numerous studies have considered whether fluorescence devices used as adjuncts to visual exams can improve the detection of caries, with mixed results. For example, a recent study in Caries Research concluded that adjunct radiographic and laser fluorescence methods "offer no benefits to the detection of caries in primary teeth in comparison to visual inspection alone."

But an article in the Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry suggests that high-resolution light-based diagnostic tools can enhance the early detection of some carious lesions by improving visibility and, thus, reduce unnecessary interventions. Why the difference of opinion between the two papers? Read more.

Finally, there are many legitimate reasons for patients to miss their dental appointments, from bad traffic and crazy weather to last-minute business trips or a sick child. But Dr. Sheri Doniger recently heard what she believes could be the best excuse of all.