Periodontal therapy for hemodialysis patients; gagging; ADA enters teeth-whitening debate

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

How many of your patients gag, or think they will gag, during a procedure? This is unpleasant both for the patients and dental professionals. It also might be preventing some patients from seeking oral healthcare. However, a recent Italian study suggests there may be a relatively simple solution: acupuncture. Read contributing writer Rosemary Frei's interview with the study's author here.

The ADA is supporting efforts of the North Carolina dental board in a dispute over the Federal Trade Commission's ruling that the board's actions against nondentists who offer teeth-whitening products and services violated U.S. antitrust laws. Read more here.

Dentist Bruce Richardson, DMD, of Portland, OR, recently gave a 5-year-old boy a great Christmas gift that even Santa can't match.

"I gave him his smile back for the holidays," said Dr. Richardson, explaining how he had restored and bonded the little boy's front teeth, which were badly decayed from "baby bottle syndrome." He's a volunteer dentist with the Tooth Taxi mobile dental van. Read more of how the Tooth Taxi is serving those in need here.

Poor oral health, including chronic periodontitis, is a common finding in hemodialysis patients, and now researchers from Brazil have provided preliminary evidence that periodontal therapy may improve the survival rate of these patients. Read more of this story here.

One of the reasons the story on gagging and acupuncture resonates with me is that I am one of those patients who gags. My gag reflex has waned somewhat during the years, but not so much that my long-time dentist doesn't still jokingly warn hygienists I see for the first time. You've got patients like me in your practice, I'm certain.

But I sing the praises of my dentist and her practice whenever asked. Their willingness to work with me and improve my oral health has been commendable and shows how, one patient at a time, practice success can be built.