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11.20.2012
Oral Health Issues for Children with Disabilities
05.22.2013
Having a disability of any kind is difficult enough, but when diagnosed in children, they can be especially influential on their abilities to perform functions of daily living. Conditions such as autism, orofacial clefts, and down syndrome are becoming more prevalent across the globe, and they can easily inhibit the ability to achieve proper oral health.
Robot Lowers Spread of Infection in Hospitals
05.17.2013
Every year, over 1.7 million hospital patients in the U.S. contract healthcare associated infections (HAIs) from workers not implementing proper infection control practices on an every day basis. As a result, an invention called the Xenex was created, which is actually a robot that flashes ultraviolet lights around hospital rooms to kill the cell walls/DNA of any lingering bacteria to prevent it from reproducing. So far, the Xenex has helped several hospitals diminish their rates of infection—especially Cone Health System in North Carolina, and Cooley Dickenson Hospital in Massachusetts, which have cut rates by over 40% and 82%, respectively. Moreover, studies show it is nearly 20 times more effective than standard chemical cleaning practices, and kills many of the most dangerous superbugs (i.e. MRSA).
Licorice Root Kills Bacteria Linked to Dental Caries and Gum Disease
05.14.2013
Studies around the world have recently discovered that substances in licorice effectively kill the bacteria responsible for the onset of dental caries and gum disease. The idea for the study originated after researchers found that the dried root of licorice plants is a common ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine; unfortunately, the U.S. has replaced much of the licorice root in domestic candies with a substitute called anise oil. The two compounds in licorice that had the most influence over preventing or diminishing oral disease were licoricidin and licorisoflavan A. Researchers believe consuming these could treat and even prevent infections from occurring in the oral cavity.
Additive Technologies in Preventive Oral Health
05.10.2013
Within the past few years, preventive dentistry has made significant strides in developing additive technologies for professional and home care products that diminish the risk of oral diseases. Before this trend emerged, fluoride was really the one of the only mainstream ingredients that was notably being added to these products, but now the market is flooding with desensitizing agents and remineralization systems that push dental hygiene to the next level. Click the button below to get a general description of what the latest and most advanced technologies are in today’s preventive market.
May is High Blood Pressure Awareness Month
05.08.2013
In honor of National High Blood Pressure Awareness Month, one of the CE courses that The Richmond Institute is now featuring is Blood Pressure Issues in the Dental Office by Margaret J. Fehrenbach, RDH. In general, this course discusses the many systemic conditions and overall complications that can interfere with the oral health care of patients with hypertension. Whether it is the medication they are taking or the treatment they require, identifying patients who have heightened blood pressure is crucial to delivering the highest quality of care, and avoiding serious consequences that can ultimately affect the oral and overall health of the individual at hand. Click below to view this course free of charge ($20 to take the exam for 2 CE credits), or download the PDF here.
Only 10% of US Adults believe Dental Visits are Crucial to Overall Health
05.07.2013
A survey by Aspen Dental recently discovered that over 36% of U.S. adults say they have delayed and/or ignored professional dental care because of uncertainties with the present economy. Regardless, over 80% of these participants acknowledged that postponing this type of care would end up costing more in the long run, and if an emergency situation arose, only about 57% would end up going to see the dentist. Furthermore, just 1 in 10 believe attending regular dental visits is crucial to maintaining overall health.
Study Confirms Link between Periodontitis and Systemic Diseases
05.02.2013
Last month, the Journal of Periodontology published a serious of studies that provided evidentiary support for the link between periodontitis and systemic diseases (such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and more). These studies were corroborated by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) and the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP), in addition to over 70 experts from around the world who analyzed the results for scientific verification. Overall, they reached four significant conclusions for this study…[VIEW MORE]
