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Archives for August 2013

Serious tongue action

August 28, 2013 By Trish Walraven 3 Comments

Are you in a state of media overshock after this gratuitous display of tongue-adge on a certain video awards show? No? But it may give you pause to think about all the naughtiness that tongues present to you as a dental clinician on a daily basis.

Most tongues behave themselves very well when you’re working in their realm. It IS the tongue’s kingdom after all; the mouth is where this majestic muscle rules supremely, preventing any dangerous objects from being inhaled or swallowed. However, there are some tongues that simply won’t cooperate, no matter how much you comfort and reassure them. See if you recognize any of these personalities in the tongues you have worked with.

The Stalker

This is a tongue that hangs back, ominously, but sort of follows you a tiny bit, like it’s planning to MURDER you while you’re simply blowing an occlusal surface dry. It is the godfather of tongues, so you had better not refuse its offer of allowing you to LIVE.

The Fist

If you encounter The Fist, you will be lucky to gain power over it. Usually appears when you’re working on an upper posterior tooth. The tongue will ball up and tighten so hard that you cannot wedge anything, not even oxygen itself, between the tooth and the tongue.

 The Dive Bomber

You know you’re working with a Dive Bomber tongue when the tip of it continuously pounds you from every direction. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if the patient were actually whistling downward and making the CRRR crash sound with every hit. Your dentistry may feel like the crumbled buildings in Space Invaders by the time this appointment is over.

The Wave

A tongue doing The Wave is bad. Not that it’s doing anything to get in your way, but when the ripple of peristaltic action starts quivering along the rim of the tongue, that usually means that the patient is about a half-second away from a gag and a wretch. Have your high-speed suction available for…um…incidentals.

The Bulldozer

Everyone has had experience with this tongue. It’s one big bully, pushing you around, scooping up the rubber dam clamp and pelting it against the wall before you even consider straightjacketing it with your square of latex. The Bulldozer will warp impression vinyl into a freakshow of “was that a human or an octopus?” when questioned by your lab, and is generally violent towards anything you try to put in the attached patient’s mouth.

The Lover

This tongue is so embarrassing! You’re working along, minding your manners, when it just sort-of slinks up the handle of your mouth mirror and begins pole dancing. Worst of all is seeing this happen to a straight male dentist by an apparently straight male patient who has no idea that his tongue is lovingly caressing the tools. You just. Can’t. Say. Anything. But your assistant will, after the appointment, behind your back. Or worse, to your face.

The Exorcist

I’ve only seen The Exorcist once. Okay, twice, but it was the same patient, and I would have never believed that a tongue could move like that unless I’d seen it with my own eyes. The Exorcist stands up, perfectly straight in the center of the mouth and slowly and continuously rotates in a clockwise direction while you’re cleaning the left side of the mouth, and then stops and begins rotating in the opposite direction when cleaning the other side. The only reason I didn’t call a priest was because the patient’s health history showed she was taking some major antidepressants and schizophrenia medications.

The Puppy Dog

Like a real puppy dog, this tongue is actually kind of cute. It bounces, following you around while you’re touring a patient’s mouth, stopping to sniff while you check the edge of an old amalgam, wagging its tail when you give it a little attention. It’ll even pee on itself if it gets nervous. Yeah, you’ve seen that submandibular salivary gland gleek squirt piddle.

The Cobra

The Cobra should be heeded, but it is more of a display than an actual threat. When a patient’s tongue slowly raises up and looks like a curved shield about to strike, get out your clarinet. It’s time for a little snake charming.

The Victim

This tongue acts like it’s been maimed and waterboarded, cowering in the back of the throat like it’s trying to make itself as small as possible. You actually feel sorry for The Victim, and find yourself trying to convince the patient that you’re not the dentist from The Marathon Man, which can cause some funny looks from the oblivious. One problem with The Victim is that it may end up consoling itself by acting out its former abuse and become The Lover. NOOOOOOOOOO!

 

And if this is the best tongue-in-cheek humor you’ve EVER READ you need to share it now. Oh that was bad. But share, because the world needs more tongue humor, at least.

 

Filed Under: Anecdotes, Fun, Humor, Operative Dentistry Tagged With: dental humor, tongue control, tongue humor, tongue in cheek, tongue management, tongue posturing, types of tongues

A wake-up call to infants

August 26, 2013 By DentalBuzz Staff 3 Comments

A Wake Up Call to Infants: Dentists Recommend ‘Healthier Lifestyle’

by Elizabeth McAvoy, RDH

Dental professionals have issued a serious wake-up call to infants around the world, encouraging them to live a healthier lifestyle. The bold announcement comes in the wake of new research that suggests up to 40% of American children have cavities and more serious dental caries by the time they reach kindergarten (i). According to a new study, those cavities are most likely the result of an unhealthy lifestyle during infancy.

To better understand how poor oral health during infancy can lead to cavities later in life, researchers at the University of Illinois studied the origin and spread of oral bacteria in babies between the ages of 12 and 24 months. Lead researcher and University professor, Dr. Kelly Swanson, summarizes the findings by explaining, “The soft tissue in the mouth appear to serve as reservoirs for potential pathogens prior to tooth [formation],” (i).

Infants Respond to Warning, Asking Parents for Help

In wake of the University of Illinois study, infants are asking parents for help in preventing the accumulation and spread of oral bacteria. By urging parents to better understand the basics on bacteria and oral hygiene for infants, babies hope to reduce the incidence of tooth decay among kindergartners by 2016.

In an effort to make this dream a reality, infants have aligned themselves with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) to spread awareness for the 5 best ways to prevent oral disease and tooth decay among infants and young children.

5 Tips from the AAPD for Healthier Lifestyle & Better Hygiene

The AAPD offers the following 5 tips to help parents effectively prevent the development of oral disease in young children (ii):

1. Schedule an oral health risk assessment.

By 6 months old, infants should have themselves taken to a licensed dental professional for a thorough check-up and health assessment. Additional check-ups are recommended every 6 months, unless otherwise recommended.

2. Establish a ‘dental home.’

Parents should aim to establish a ‘dental home’ for their child by the age of 12 months. There are many advantages to choosing a primary care provider, most important of which is establishing a record of medical history for both parents and child. This may help to determine the child’s susceptibility to oral disease, decay, and dental caries.

3. When it comes to teething, avoid anesthetics.

According to the AAPD, parents should consider using only oral analgesics and chilled teething rings to soothe the pain and irritation of teething. The AAPD advises parents to avoid over the counter anesthetics for concerns over toxicity.

4. Gently brush teeth, as they become visible.

As teeth become visible, parents must proactively brush all surfaces with a soft bristled toothbrush. In cleaning teeth after each meal, parents can prevent the formation of plaque and oral bacteria.

5. Focus on nutrition and meal timing.

Most importantly, the AAPD urges parents to consider how changes in nutrition and meal timing can significantly reduce oral health issues. The following behaviors are to be avoided, as research indicates they increase the risk of tooth decay: Breast feeding more than 7 times daily (after 12 months), nighttime bottle feeding, repeated use of non-spill cups, and sugary snacks in between meals. 

Editorial Note and Disclaimer: Infants, in fact, can neither speak nor coordinate far-reaching public awareness campaigns in conjunction with national health organizations. This report has been created by a mother, health advocate, and dental hygienist at Assure A Smile, who has done her best to imagine how infants would respond to the alarming increase of tooth decay among young children.

Sources:

(i) “Cavity Present in Saliva of Infants.” Medical Daily. Accessed 8 August 2013.

(ii) (iii) “Guideline on Infant Oral Healthcare.” American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Accessed 7 August 2013. Download PDF: http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/G_infantOralHealthCare.pdf

 

Filed Under: Research

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DentalBuzz explores rising trends in dentistry with its own slant. The speed at which new products and ideas enter the dental field can often outpace our ability to understand just exactly the direction in which we are heading. But somehow, by being a little less serious about dentistry and dental care, we might get closer to making sense of it all.

So yeah, a tongue-in-cheek pun would fit really nicely here, but that would be in bad taste. Never mind, it just happened anyways. Stop reading sidebars already and click on some content instead.

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