DrBicuspid.com Hygiene Insider

Dear Hygiene Insider,

In this edition of the Insider, DrBicuspid.com takes a look at the controversial use of diode lasers in nonsurgical periodontal therapy. For some patients, especially those with diabetes or compromised health, diode lasers may have an important role in this treatment, but the use of these lasers is somewhat controversial, report the authors of a recent study in the Journal of Dental Hygiene. Read more and an interview with one of the study authors in our Insider Exclusive.

Also in our Hygiene Community, you'll find news and information that affects your practice and clinical advancement.

With infection control in the news, a group of prominent dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants have come together to form a new coalition called Support Clean Dentistry. The aim is to encourage dental professionals to outline and explain the infection prevention and control practices and also translate dental care standards into easy-to-understand information for patients.

The periodontal bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis acts on two molecular pathways to simultaneously block immune cells' killing ability while preserving the cells' ability to cause inflammation, according to a new study in Cell Host & Microbe.

A National Institutes of Health grant will fund a study investigating a critical gap in knowledge of the composition and role of the oral microbiome in postmenopausal women. It will build on existing data from a study conducted from 1997 to 2001 and recall the participants.

Access to dental care is the most unmet healthcare need in people with intellectual disabilities. At a recent event in New York, the Eastman Institute for Oral Health, the Golisano Foundation, and the Special Olympics partnered to improve access and oral healthcare for these patients.

This is just a sampling of the articles you will find in our Hygiene Community. Thank you for being a member and for sharing these articles with your colleagues.