Doctors

How to Cope with Dental Fear

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An interesting article titled “Coping skills for facing dental fears” appears in the February 2017, issue of JADA, vol. 148, issue 2. The article discusses some things you can do if you are afraid of the dentist to help you get through the entire appointment. The first thing the article suggests is to speak up and let the office and dentist know you have dental fear. You can address any coping skills you have used in the past and the dental team may suggest new coping skills that can be tried. You ask the dentist to talk you through what is going to be done for your treatment prior to him or her doing it to help further put your mind at ease. If you need to take a break during treatment you can agree on a signal to use … Read more

Comparing the differences in dental fillings

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It’s something that we all wish to avoid but for most of us, dental fillings will become a way of life. For most people, it’s about keeping them to a minimum – even though they have become much easier to withstand than they may have been several years ago. Of course, as anyone who has studied the dentist industry will testify, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution here. It’s complicated to say the least and while one Cheltenham dentist may offer one procedure, a different patient may be provided with an alternative one depending on the circumstances. To highlight how many differences there are in relation to this, we have comprised the following breakdown of each of the main fillings. Silver fillings If you’ve been offered a silver filling, it may have been referred to as an amalgam. We should start with … Read more

What are the ethical issues of terminating a patient?

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An interesting article titled “The ethical issues of saying good-bye to a patient” appears in the July 2016 issue of JADA and written by Gary Herman. The article addresses the ethical issues that result from terminating a relationship with a patient. There are certain reasons for terminating a patient. This includes discharging a patient who is difficult or noncompliant, a patient who notifies you that he or she is choosing to go elsewhere, and a patient who just seems to disappear. A dentist of course is always concerned with treating a patient well. If you terminate a patient the practice goes against this goal. An article on risk management lists failure to recognize problem patients and failure to dismiss those patients properly as some of the biggest mistakes dentists make. The article states “When patients make unreasonable demands, have impossible expectations, or prevent … Read more

What Makes the Best Dentists?

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There’s plenty of dentists to choose from and we know that finding the best one can be quite difficult. Dental health is not a matter that can be taken for granted and you need to know that your dentist will efficiently see to your needs. A good dentist will be concerned for his patients well being and will focus on it. A good dentist is also honest and won’t try and get you to buy all unnecessary dental treatments and products. After all he’s a dentist, not a salesman. You Should Feel Safe In Your Dentist’s Office: In a dentist office, it’s easy to feel vulnerable. Dentists see everything in your mouth, and regardless of what you’ve told them, they can tell how often you’re brushing, flossing and rinsing with mouthwash. When you have to undergo a procedure, from tooth extractions … Read more

It may be impossible to remove all bacteria from dental equipment

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A few stories have appeared in articles in recent years where someone has gotten an infection at an oral surgeon or dentists office due to unsafe practices. See for example https://blog.teethremoval.com/unsafe-injection-practices-plaque-u-s-outpatient-facilities/. This has occurred when a lapse in following proper infection control practices has occurred. However, even when proper protocols are being followed at dental offices it may still be possible to come down with an infection (although rare). This is supported by a new study in the Journal Water Research titled “Efficacy of dental unit waterlines disinfectants on a polymicrobial biofilm.” The study reveals that disinfectants recommended by companies that manufacture dental unit water lines don’t actually shift all the bacteria in the lines, which means the water lines are never completely clean. The dental water lines are used by dentists to keep their dental equipment, which is always … Read more