Sunstar eBrief

Artur Plawgo / iStock / Getty Images Plus Biofilm can form anywhere that offers moisture, nutrients, and a surface. It’s basically a community of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, that stick together on a surface in a self-generated matrix of proteins, sugars, and nucleic acids. Unfortunately, biofilm can grow on structures throughout the human body, including implant surfaces....

PeopleImages / iStock / Getty Images Plus Jenell Robins, BSDH, RDH, has been in clinical practice for more than 21 years. Recently, she has also taken on the role of oral health educator at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston working to advance their oral care program in the cancer center. Robins is passionate about educating patients and other...

Image by JHLee / iStock / Getty Images Plus Childhood caries affects kids in every corner of the United States. In fact, it is regarded as the most common chronic disease in children, with more than 40% shown to have tooth decay by the time they enter kindergarten.1,2 It’s no secret that consumption of sugary foods and drinks...

nopparit / iStock / Getty Images Plus Research to understand how changes in the microbiome are associated with aging and other developments in humans is ongoing. The microbiome comprises an ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms (such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses) in and on the human body. Common areas of study include the gastrointestinal tract (gut), oral cavity,...

pixelfit / E+ The addition of fluoride into community water sources in the United States has reduced the development of caries in children and adults by about 25% over the past 75 years. Further, more than 35% of the world’s population today reaps the benefits of water fluoridation, reflected in significant reductions in dental caries. In fact, community...

Michelle Noblet-Vacha, RDH, BS After witnessing the dental neglect experienced by many nursing home residents, Michelle Noblet-Vacha, RDH, BS, opened her own nonprofit organization, Senior Mobile Dental, to ensure these individuals received the oral healthcare they desperately needed in the Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo areas. Since 2006, she has been providing in-house care to residents of long-term...

Design Cells / iStock / Getty Images Plus According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the US annually, resulting in more than 35,000 deaths. The agency’s 2019 report reflects various levels of threat posed by 18 antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and fungi, with three more on a watch list.1...

Deborah H. Dowd, RDH, MSDH As a practicing clinician and educator, Deborah H. Dowd, RDH, MSDH, has a wealth of experience as a dental hygienist. Currently, she is an adjunct instructor at Fortis College and Utah Valley University in Salt Lake City. While earning her Master of Science in Dental Hygiene at Idaho State University, Dowd embarked on...

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared SARS-CoV-2 a global pandemic. Recent research published in both the Journal of the American Dental Association and the Journal of Dental Hygiene looks back on how COVID-19 impacted those responsible for delivering oral healthcare.1–3 Those working around the oral cavity were really in the crosshairs of the virus. Because...

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, periodontal diseases impact nearly half of adults ages 30 years and older in US. About 9% of adults experience periodontitis, a leading cause of tooth loss.1 The risk factors for periodontal diseases are myriad, and they are linked to poor oral hygiene and tobacco use as well...