Electronic Cigarette Use Among Youth and Adolescents
Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) heat a liquid to create an aerosol that is inhaled by the user. The liquid contains nicotine and other toxic…
Category: Articles
Rethinking Patient Shielding in Dental Radiography
The foundation to justify radiographic imaging is that the diagnostic benefit far outweighs the radiation-associated risks. With this in mind, dental professionals have used various…
The Potential of Ozone Therapy in Dentistry
For more than a century, ozone has been used in the medical realm, serving as a disinfectant and blood purifier. Ozone’s benefits are based on…
Local Anesthesia as an Antimicrobial Ally
Local anesthesia has historically been used for analgesia (pain management) but it also has other benefits in dental care, such as the ability of vasoconstrictors…
Diagnosing a Rare Intraoral Lesion
This case report details the process leading to the diagnosis of a rare intraoral lesion. Relevant clinical, radiographic, and histologic findings of this lesion are…
Visual Acuity Is Key to Successful Patient Outcomes
The profession of dental hygiene is visually demanding. During clinical patient care, a dental hygienist relies on optimal visual acuity to conduct thorough periodontal assessments,…
The Best Career Is the One You Create
Private practice is typically where most dental hygiene graduates find themselves immediately upon graduation. In my experience, most practices — both corporate and private —…
An Interdisciplinary Approach to Head and Neck Cancers
The diagnosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) (Figure 1) can be devastating with many unknown outcomes. HNSCC is best managed with an…
The Role of Nutrition in Dental Caries
The process of dental caries begins with demineralization, which occurs when the oral cavity’s pH is decreased due to bacterial metabolism of carbohydrates.1 Salivary amylase breaks…