DENTIST – A HEALTH PRACTITIONER WHO TREATS AILMENTS OR ABNORMALITIES OF THE GUMS & TEETH AND TRIES TO PREVENT THEIR OCCURANCE.

TRAINING: SIMILAR TO PHYSICIAN

3 YEARS OF COLLEGE – MOST GET B.S.

4 YEARS OF DENTAL SCHOOL

PASS STATE EXAM

SOME DENTISTS GET EXTRA TRAINING AND SPECIALIZE (PASS STATE EXAM)

DENTAL SERVICES:

LOCATION & FILLING OF CAVITIES

EXTRACTION OF TEETH

STRAIGHTENING OF CROOKED TEETH

TREATMENT OF GUM AND MOUTH DISEASES

PREP. & FITTING OF DENTURES

RESTORATION OF TEETH

DENTAL EDUCATION

SELECTION GUIDELINES – ASK FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, COWORKERS, ETC.

PRACTICES PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY

SKILLFUL IN REDUCING PAIN

GOOD DIAGNOSIS – BUT NOT TOO MUCH

GOOD IN EDUCATION

QUALIFIED STAFF

CLEAN & PLEASANT OFFICE

COMMUNICATES WELL WITH PATIENT ESPECIALLY ABOUT RESTORATION PLANS & $

AVOID DENTISTS WHO SELL VITAMINS, USE ACUPUNCTURE, ETC. (HOLISTIC)

AUXILIARY DENTAL PERSONNEL

HYGIENIST

TRAINING – 2 YEARS A.A. DEGREE, PASS STATE BOARDS

DUTIES - CLEANING & POLISHING TEETH, X-RAYS, SCREENING OF TEETH,

PATIENT EDUCATION

DENTAL ASSISTANT

TRAINING – IN TEXAS – ON THE JOB

DUTIES – PREPARE PATIENTS, STERILIZING INSTRUMENTS, RECORD KEEPING, X-RAYS, GENERALLY ASSISTING THE DENTIST

DENTAL LABORATORY TECHNICIANS

TRAINING – ON THE JOB

DUTIES – MAKE OR REPAIR BRIDGES, CROWNS, DENTURES

TOOTH DECAY – CAUSED BY BACTERIA IN THE MOUTH THAT PRODUCE ACIDS HARMFUL TO TOOTH ENAMEL. DISCUSS

DENTAL SEALANTS – FILL PITS & FISSURES IN TEETH. MOST EFFECTIVE FOR CHILDREN 5-14, SOON AFTER TEETH ERUPT.

FLUORIDATION

THE PRACTICE IS SAFE, ECONOMICAL, & BENEFICIAL

SOME PERPLE ARE AGAINST FLUORIDATION – MAKES NO SENCE

IN 1931 DR. MCKAY IDENTIFIED FLUORIDE AS THE REASON THAT SOME AREAS HAD LOWER RATES OF TOOTH DECAY

NOW – 135 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE FLLUORIDATED WATER IN U.S.

DECREASES CAVITIES BY 20-40% IN CHILDREN, 15-35% IN ADULTS

IF NO FLORIDE IN WATER – BEST TO USE DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION, TOOTHPASTES AND RINSES ALSO CAN HELP

PERIODONTAL DISEASE

CAUSED BY PLAQUE AT GUM LINE WHICH DESTROY STRUCTURES THAT SUPPORT THE TEETH

EARLIEST STAGE IS GINGIVITIS (REDNESS AND BLEEDING OF GUMS)

BRUSHING, FLOSSING, AND DENTAL CHECKUPS ARE 1ST LINES OF DEFENCE

PROFESSIONAL CLEANING AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT

SELF CARE – MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE TO CAREFULLY CLEAN THE TEETH ONCE A DAY – BRUSH AND FLOSS

DENTAL PRODUCTS:

DENTIFRICES - ABRASIVENESS – SOME, BUT NOT TOO MUCH, ESPECIALLY FOR OLDER ADULTS, FLORIDE CONTENT IS IMPORTANT, TOOTHPASTE CANNOT REALLY WHITEN TEETH

FLUORIDE MOUTH RINSES – SOMEWHAT HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE IN NONFLUORIDATED COMMUNITIES

TOOTHBRUSHES – SHOULD HAVE A SMALL HEAD WITH A FLAT SURFACE AND SOFT, FLEXIBLE BRISTLES; MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT IS HOW IT IS USED; REPLACE EVERY 4-6 WEEKS

ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSHES – USEFUL BUT NOT NECESSARILY BETTER THAN A REGULAR TOOTHBRUSH

DENTAL FLOSS – SHOULD BE USED DAILY, UNWAXED IS PREFERRED

DENTAL IRRIGATORS – NO SUBSTITUTE FOR BRUSHING OR FLOSSING, HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE USING ORTHODONIC BANDS, ETC.

MOTHWASHES – NOT VERY EFFECTIVE IN HELPING BAD BREATH, CLEANING TEETH, OR IN PREVENTING INFECTIONS. DISCUSS

SUGARLESS GUM – A BETTER CHOICE FOR THOSE WHO CHEW GUM

DO-IT-YOURSELF BLEACHING – SOME PRODUCTS CAN BE HARMFUL, DISCUSS WITH DENTIST

PAIN RELIEVERS – IBUPROFEN TAKEN INTERNALLY, CAN BE EFFECTIVE;CLOVE OIL, BENZOCAINE, AND BUTANE CAN PROVIDE MINOR LOCALIZED PAIN RELIEF

DENTURISTS – FIT DENTURES , SOME WANT TO BECOME INDEPENDENT OF DENTISTS. TWO STATES ALLOW THIS. ADA IS AGAINST THIS.

DENTAL X-RAYS

NECESSARY EVERY 3-5 YEARS – FULL MOUTH

SOME DENTISTS OVER DO THIS

DENTAL QUACKERY – SOME DENTISTS USE QUESTIONABLE PRACTICES, SOME OVER DO DISORDERS LIKE TMJ. IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO GET A 2ND OPINION FOR MAJOR DENTAL PROCEDURES, OVERUSE OF GENERAL ANESTHESIA

MERCURY SCARE – IT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO RECOMMEND RESTRICTING THE USE OF DENTAL AMALGAM.

SMOKELESS PRODUCTS

LEADS TO LEUKOPLAKIA - THIS LEADS TO CANCER – 6000 DEATHS/YEAR

DISCOLORS TEETH, BAD BREATH, DECREASE TASTE, GUM DISEASE, TOOTH DECAY

BASIC DENTAL PRACTICES:

LIMIT BETWEEN-MEAL TREATS CONTAINING SUGAR TO HELP REMOVE THE BASIC CAUSE OF CAVITIES.

CLEAN TEETH VERY GOOD AT LEAST ONCE A DAY TO INCLUDE BRUSHING AND FLOSSING

HAVE PROPER DENTAL CHECKUPS AT LEAST ONCE/YEAR

DRINK FLUORIDATED WATER OR USE FLUORIDE SUPPLEMENTS