Twenty years of research has consistently shown that oscillating-rotating toothbrushes are safe compared with manual toothbrushes, but a systematic review of all clinical and laboratory investigations comparing the safety of these toothbrushes with manual toothbrushes has not been published. This prompted an international group of researchers to examine the literature concerning the relative soft and/or hard tissue safety outcomes with the use of oscillating-rotating toothbrushes compared with manual toothbrushes (Journal

Individuals with acute and aggressive periodontitis are more likely to visit hospital emergency departments (EDs) than those without, costing U.S. hospitals millions of dollars in the process, according to a study in the Journal of Periodontology (December 7, 2010). While the chances of presenting to hospital EDs are significantly higher in individuals ignoring regular dental care and in those with medical conditions, little is known about estimates of hospital-based ED

Since the theory of selective polishing was introduced, dental hygienists have been ethically challenged. They are torn between the desire to conserve the fluoride-rich, outermost layer of enamel and patients demanding that their teeth be polished. After all, prior to the existence of the selective polishing concept, an oral prophylaxis always included polishing of the teeth. Not surprisingly, some patients interpreted the implementation of selective polishing as laziness on the

Children and adolescents with asthma have somewhat more caries and suffer more often from gingivitis than people of similar age without asthma, according to a thesis presented and successfully defended at the Sahlgrenska Academy, part of the University of Gothenburg. Malin Stensson, dental hygienist and researcher in the department of cariology at Sahlgrenska’s Institute of Odontology, conducted four separate studies involving children, adolescents, and young adults with and without asthma.