STEPS TO A HEALTHY SMILE

Presented By Dental Hygiene Students from Lake Washington Institute of Technology

Yezi Pang, Maryia Labovich & Paul Tereshchuk
Fall 2019
 Introduction
■ Who we are?
-We are dental hygiene students
■ What is this lecture about?
-Oral health education & promotion
■ What is the goal of this lecture?
-Increase dental knowledge & awareness Image source: https://www.lwtech.edu/academics/dental-hygiene/
 Outlines
Dental Education

Dental Care Promotion

Homecare Education

Q&A
What is the periodontium?

Image source: https://slideplayer.com/slide/6116214/

 Dental plaque is a mass of
bacteria that grows on surfaces
within the mouth. At first, It is a
sticky colorless deposit.
What is dental
plaque and Then it forms calculus (tartar),
which has been calcified and
calculus? hardened. It is often has brown
or pale yellow color.
 Calculus formation in the mouth

Image source: https://www.dentalcare.com/en-us/patient-education/patient-materials/what-is-tartar

 What is periodontal disease?
Periodontitis is a disease caused by bacteria from dental plaque that damages the soft tissue and
bone supporting the tooth. Without treatment, the bone around the teeth is slowly and progressively
lost.
The two most common periodontal diseases are:
■ Gingivitis – inflammation of the gum at the necks of the teeth, and
■ Periodontitis – inflammation affecting the bone and tissues of the teeth.
Plaque control is the most important method of limiting periodontal disease and maintaining
gingival health.
 What is periodontal disease?

Image source: https://www.saebo.com/the-hidden-connection-between-gum-disease-and-stroke/

 Healthy gum VS. Unhealthy gum

Image source: https://www.usdental.in/blog/five-signs-to-gum-disease/

What is periodontal disease?

Image source: http://encinodentalesthetics.com/portfolio_page/periodontal-disease/

 Two levels of plaque control:
■ Home Care
-brushing teeth, rinsing mouth, flossing
-remove plaque on a daily basis, however, there are some areas cannot be reached by
home care only.
■ Professional cleaning performed by dental hygienists or dentists:
-clean out bacteria from the pockets around the teeth and prevent further destruction
of bone and tissue.
Dental Decay
§ also known as dental caries or cavities
§ breakdown of teeth due to acids made by bacteria.
§ The cavities may be a number of different colors from
yellow to black.
§ Tooth decay has different stages, and it's important that
it is treated as soon as possible.

Image source: https://www.thedesignersmile.com/blog/2017/05/11/the-stages-of-tooth-decay-182295

Treatments
■ Fluoride treatments: provide building blocks for the tooth
- If your cavity just started, a fluoride treatment may help restore your tooth's enamel and can
sometimes reverse a cavity in the very early stages.
■ Fillings.
■ Crowns.
■ Root canals.
■ Tooth extractions (last resort).
-
Connection between oral health and overall body health
■ Dental care is the highest unmet health need in America.
■ When cavities go untreated, they can cause problems like painful toothaches,
broken teeth, and infection.
■ Gum disease is another oral health issue that can affect our entire body. It can
cause teeth to become loose (even to the point of losing the tooth) and recent
evidence has found a link between gum disease and other chronic illnesses,
including obesity, diabetes, stroke and heart disease.
How to take care of oral health?

■ Brushing at least twice a day

■ Floss at least once a day before bed
■ Visit dental clinic at least twice a year
Homecare: brushing technique
■ Demonstrate MODIFIED BASS technique

Image source: https://www.dentalcare.com/en-us/patient-education/patient-materials/manual-brushing-and-flossing

 How to floss?
■ Wrap around middle fingers
■ Grab with pointing finger and
thumb
■ Slide between gums and
tooth
■ Wrap around the tooth “C”
shape
■ Go up and down (change floss
surface between teeth)

Image source: https://www.toothwisdom.org/a-z/article/flossing-tips-for-caregivers/

Flossing activity:
We ask for 3 volunteers
Why visit dental clinic?

■ Check for dental cavity

■ Check for periodontal health
■ Cancer screening
How often to visit a dental clinic?
■ General frequency: twice a year
■ According to American Dental Association,
“The ADA encourages people to work closely with their dentists to identify
any potential risk factors that would determine the need for and frequency
of follow up visits to enhance the outcomes of preventive care (American
Dental Association, 2019).”
Introducing on-campus dental clinic
■ Affordable and quality dental care
■ Full-service clinic
- Dental exam, x-rays, teeth cleaning, fillings, extraction, crowns
■ Dental hygiene students speak various languages, including Spanish, Chinese,
Japanese, Russian, Vietnamese, Persian & etc.,
 Q&A
Do you have any questions?