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…
Category: Articles
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…
The Complexities of Erosive Tooth Wear
Properties of human enamel have been vastly explored from embryological, biomechanical, and functional viewpoints. Enamel, the hardest tissue in the body, is designed to withstand…
Making Patient Data More Secure
Over the past decade, the number of security breaches across the healthcare industry has skyrocketed, with 2021 seeing more data breaches than any other year…
The Influence of Vaping on Dentinal Hypersensitivity
The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is on the rise in the United States, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Dentinal hypersensitivity, characterized by acute…