Have teeth? 
Thank your dental hygienist!

Dental hygienists are a community of professionals devoted to the prevention of disease and the promotion and improvement of the public's health. Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals who provide educational, clinical, and therapeutic services to the public. See Consumer Education Guest Editorial by Margaret (Access, ADHA Magazine)

Want Some Lifesaving Advice? 
Ask Your Dental Hygienist.

The Oral Health Report by the US Surgeon General and commissioned by the Health and Human Services Secretary is the  first-ever comprehensive report on the status of the nation’s oral health.  In the report there is a discussion about how oral health is related to one's overall health.  The report concluded that if left untreated, poor oral health acts as the silent factor promoting the onset of life-threatening diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, which are responsible for the deaths of millions of Americans each year.  

Here are a few excerpts from the Report:

1. •Many systemic diseases and conditions have oral manifestations. These manifestations may be the initial sign of clinical disease and as such serve to inform clinicians and individuals of the need for further assessment.
   

2. •The oral cavity is a portal of entry as well as the site of disease for microbial infections that affect general health status.
   

3. •The oral cavity and its functions can be adversely affected by many pharmaceuticals and other therapies commonly used in treating systemic conditions. The oral complications of these therapies can compromise patient compliance with treatment.
   

4. •Animal and population-based studies have demonstrated an association between periodontal diseases and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which these associations are causal or coincidental.
   

5. •Oral health is related to well-being and quality of life as measured along functional, psychosocial, and economic dimensions. Diet, nutrition, sleep, psychological status, social interaction, school, and work are affected by impaired oral and craniofacial health.
   

Margaret at Shoreline Community College after giving a tobacco cessation seminar to the second year student dental hygienists

Latest: Advancing Oral Health in America, Report from Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2011)

Tooth decay is a common chronic disease in the United States and one of the most common diseases worldwide. Evidence shows that decay and other oral health complications may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. While tooth decay is a highly preventable disease, individuals and many healthcare professionals remain unaware of the risk factors and preventive approaches for many oral diseases, and they do not fully appreciate how oral health affects overall health and well-being.

The Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) asked the IOM to assess the current oral health care system and to recommend strategic actions for Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies to improve oral health and oral health care in America. The IOM recommends that HHS design an oral health initiative consistent with IOM’s proposed set of organizing principles, which are based on the areas in greatest need of attention and on the approaches that have the most potential for creating improvements.

In addition, the IOM stresses three key areas needed for successfully maintaining oral health as a priority issue: strong leadership, sustained interest, and the involvement of multiple stakeholders. Registered dental hygienists are interested stakeholders in oral health and will help lead the effort to obtain oral health for all in America!  See a brief synopsis of this Report.

See Margaret’s YouTube Presentation on Tobacco Cessation for Dental Hygienists

Information provided on this site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her existing physician/dentist.  I will not give out any dental advice online since my malpractice insurance has advised me of the following:  "If you establish a patient-provider relationship with an online participant, you owe that person a duty of care. If such a relationship exists and the participant is harmed because of the advice you provided, he could sue you claiming that you did not meet the standard of care. And because you acted outside the scope of your employment-you provided health-related advice while off-duty-your malpractice insurance might not cover you. Depending on state law, you also may put your license at risk if you provide health-related advice to a participant who lives in a state where you don't hold a license, or if your advice doesn't fall within the scope of your practice."

Updated 1/2/2012