September 11th, 2009 by admin
Vitamins are essential organic dietary factors incapable of being
synthesized within the body. Vitamins are classified as water or fat
soluble (Table 11.2). They are required in only small amounts;
absence can result in a disease state (Table 11.3) and sometimes
vitamin excess can cause disease.
Vitamin A (retinol)
Vitamin A is fat-soluble and is found in animal fats, milk, and
liver. Vitamin A can also be derived from precursors (carotenes or
carotenoids) found in plants, particularly green leafy vegetables. Read the rest of this entry »
September 11th, 2009 by admin
In a study based on cases of oral cancer in women and a control
group, both cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption were
confirmed as independent risk factors, but no association was
found for mouthwash use. Patients with oral cancer reported more
frequently than did controls that they used mouthwash to ‘disguise
the smell of tobacco … (and) … alcohol’ and mouthwash
use was found to be strongly associated with smoking and drinking.
Thus, using a mouthwash appeared in these instances to be a Read the rest of this entry »
September 11th, 2009 by admin
There is some confusion over the use of the term betel. Betel leaf
is derived from the betel vine, while nuts from the betel palm are
termed areca nuts. These two products may be used orally alone,
together, or together with other material such as tobacco, slaked
lime, and other additives. In Papua New Guinea slaked lime (but
not tobacco) is a prominent component of ‘betel’; in other areas
tobacco may be a main component. Read the rest of this entry »
July 27th, 2009 by admin
It is important from the outset to determine the nature of the
patient’s anxiety. Some people are anxious of ‘dentistry’ as a
whole, whilst others have a specific anxiety about ‘things in the
mouth’ or ‘the dental drill’ or ‘dental injections’ or ‘having a
tooth pulled’. The underlying basis for many of these anxietyprovoking
stimuli is frequently the fear of ‘pain’. Unfortunately,
dentistry has always had a close association with pain and the Read the rest of this entry »
July 27th, 2009 by admin
The aetiological factors associated with the development
of dental anxiety will be dealt with under the following
headings:
1. General anxiety and psychological development
2. Gender
3. Traumatic dental experiences
4. Family and peer group influences
5. Defined dental treatment factors.
General anxiety and psychological development
It has been suggested that dental anxiety is a function of Read the rest of this entry »
July 22nd, 2009 by admin
When the neck of the tooth becomes exposed by recession of
the gingival margin in later life a stagnation area may be formed
and the cementum attacked. Cementum is readily decalcified and presents little barrier to infection. The cementum therefore
softens beneath the plaque over a wide area, producing a
saucer-shaped cavity, and the underlying dentine is soon
involved. Cementum is invaded along the direction of
Sharpey’s fibres. Infection spreads between the lamellae along the incremental lines, with the result that the dentine becomes
split up and progressively destroyed by a combination of
demineralisation and proteolysis. The further progress of caries
in the underlying dentine is essentially similar to that in other
parts of the tooth.
July 22nd, 2009 by admin
Teeth may be resistant to decay because of factors affecting the
structure of the tooth during formation. Serious efforts were
made in the past to confirm the misguided belief that dental
caries was due to hypocalcification of the teeth and was essentially a vitamin deficiency disease. This simplistic view of
course ignored the extensive epidemiological findings that the Read the rest of this entry »
July 10th, 2009 by admin
Sometimes clear communication of a dental health message results in
behaviour change which is apparent by a change in oral health. To give an
example, a patient with in amed gums is shown a new cleaning technique;
gingival in ammation subsides and health is restored. This is very satisfying
for all concerned but it does not always happen. Let us say that in the same
circumstances, the patient returns with the same gingival in ammation and Read the rest of this entry »
July 10th, 2009 by admin
Compliance with healthcare advice tends to be poor in patients who have
non-life-threatening chronic conditions such as dental caries.
• Patients with good levels of oral hygiene tend to comply better with advice
than those whose initial plaque levels are high.
• The patient’s perception of their degree of control over what happens to
them may be relevant. Those who believe what happens depends on their Read the rest of this entry »
July 10th, 2009 by admin
The patient should see the dentist at least every 3 months. Plaque control
needs to be excellent, and professional plaque control should be considered
(see page 80).
• Until salivary ow returns to normal limits, the risk of caries is high.
Therefore, stimulated ow rates should be measured every 3–4 months to Read the rest of this entry »
