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 1 ST 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 2 ND 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