News

Dental Assistants Play a Role in Cancer Detection

Dental assistants are valuable members of the dental team and can play a role in helping detect the possible deadly disease of oral cancer.  While obtaining new or recall medical histories or just in casual conversations, a well informed dental assistant can pick up on possible warning signs that must be brought to the dentist's attention.

• An unusual white or dark spot on the tongue, oral mucosa and/or lip  
  
• An ulcer or sore that doesn't heal within 2-3 weeks.
  
• Numbness in the lips or mouth
  
• An earache on one side that lasts for an unusual amount of time
  
• Difficulty or painful when swallowing or chewing
  
• A lump or swelling in the mouth or neck area
  
• A persistent cough, sore throat or hoarse voice
  

Researchers have discovered a link between oropharyngeal cancer and the human papiloma virus number 16 (HPV16).  The HPV link is thought to be responsible for an increase in these cancers in otherwise healthy non-smokers ages 25 to 50.  Other carcinogens such as tobacco and alcohol are also a contributing factor for oral cavity malignancies.  

Additional information is available on Dentistry iQ.  

Submitted by:

Linda Kihs, CDA, EFDA,  OMSA, MADAA

A few simple steps to help you stay more hygienic while camping:

1.       Don’t bring deodorant, it brings out the bugs and other wildlife.  Just use soap and water or hand sanitizer.

2.       Use hand sanitizer each time you go to the bathroom and before cooking and eating meals.

3.       Cleaning your whole body:

a.       Jump in the lake, using a biodegradable soap making sure you are far away from other people using the water.

b.      A trail shower by stripping down and using biodegradable soap and a wash cloth with several liters of water

c.       If it’s too cold for the above a sponge bath getting the important parts groin, armpits, and inner thighs.

No matter which of the above you use, make sure you towel yourself completely dry.  I have a microfiber towel that works wonderfully.

4.        Why biodegradable soap?   So you don’t promote algae in the lakes and streams.  Remain 200 feet from the water is the best practice, your footprint counts.  Leave No Trace. 

5.       When to change your clothes?  You should change them when they are damp and let them hang to dry, or at least before you crawl into bed at night.  Rotate your clothing so you always have one set drying if you are the rugged hiker style doing light packing for a longer hike, but pack a clean pair of socks for every day. 

6.       What should a toiletry kit contain?

a.       Toothbrush

b.      Floss

c.       Toothpaste

d.      Alcohol gel-based hand sanitizer

e.      Cotton bandana or wash cloth

f.        Moist towelettes or baby wipes

g.       Biodegradable soap

h.      Absorbent pack towel ( I love my microfiber towel)

i.         Toilet paper in its own plastic bag

I found this article on www.backpacker.com  lots of helpful hints and tools there.

 by Kym Goodell

BMCC:  Gloria Galvan
COCC:  Vanessa Mendez
CCC:     Kristen Church
LBCC:   Kacie McCracken
LCC:     Crystal Lopez

I read a great article on www.health.com and would like to share it with you.  With summer coming upon us and kids staying home, our house could fast become a mess.  Here are a few simple items that may help us stay a little bit more clean and healthy, if you don’t already do them.

1.        Sanitize your sponge or scrub brushes in the dishwasher.  Disinfect your sink and drain twice a week with a tablespoon of bleach to 1 quart of water.  At the end of the week, pour the rest of the solution down the drain.

2.       Cutting boards are a breeding factory of nastiness, so you really should only use plastic or glass that do not have pock marks.  Throw away your family heirloom wooden ones.  They are just breeding grounds for the plague (that’s what I call every stomach virus I get  ;)  )  When you are done using your cutting board, wash it with hot soapy water, spray it with a 1 to 16 bleach water solution, rinse and put it in the dishwasher.

3.       Now this part kinda grossed me out to be honest, something I did now know and found out I did not want to know.  You can get E. coli simply by transferring your own unmentionables from the washer to the dryer.  Just make sure your water temperature is set at 150 degrees and you dry them for at least 45 minutes or until the load is dry.  Wash your hands after doing laundry and run a cycle of bleach and water after you do your unmentionables. 

4.       Your toothbrush… the human mouth contains 100 million microbes per milliliter of saliva, those microbes eat the same food you do!  When you brush those microbes stick to your toothbrush.  After brushing rinse your toothbrush in hot water and stand it up in a glass to it can air-dry.  You can even stick it in the dishwasher once in a while to get sanitized. 

5.       Your bathtub and shower can carry more germs then your garbage can.  Disinfect it once a week on the bathroom floor and the sides, rinse well and use a squeegee, disinfect the squeegee too.

6.       Your cell phone and other tech stuff you touch every day (keyboard and mouse) have been found to carry germs, the flu virus and even MRSA.  Use a disinfectant wipe on them.

7.       The bathroom floor is a germ cesspool.  Fecal spray from flushing lands on the floor and helps germs grow.  Close the lid before flushing and use a bleach based cleanser.  After you wash your mats weekly, make sure they are completely dry, if you have to hang them for a while.

8.       Your shoes bring in whatever you have stepped on outside.  If you can, remove your shoes outside, wipe your feet on a high quality abrasive mat. Clean your mat weekly and consider the sprays and chemicals you use on your yard.  There are nontoxic, non-chemical options. 

9.       Your bedroom is where you spend a third of your life, for some people maybe more, others maybe it feels like less (J )  But dust mites seem to be the main problem.  Wash your bedding weekly, and if you haven’t already moved your water temp up, as in example 3, then at least do it for this one and turn your temp up to at least 130 for your bedding.  Maybe even invest in an anti-allergy wrap for your bed.  Wet-mop your floor and all surfaces should be cleaned with a germ fighting solution.  Don’t let any damp clothing lie around for longer than a day.

10.   Dust can trigger asthma and allergies.  Vacuum the floor, curtains, furniture and bookshelves with a HEPA filter and follow up with an antibacterial wipe or spray.  

                                                                                     Kym Goodell

When was the last time your office had a MORNING HUDDLE?  The morning huddles are very important and most helpful for the regular updating of the staff each day.  The meetings are usually held prior to the first patient or at the end of the day to review and/or look over the next days appointments and patients.  Some of the areas covered could/should include the patient's name, reason for the appointment, medical alerts, financial insurance status for the treatment plan, personal information from staff of past activities, (fear, gagging, etc.....) and any other personal information that might be helpful.  All the information is confidential but very important for staff as to the treatment for the day and future appointments.  The more information available and shared means better patient treatment and good staff communication.  Everyone wins...try them - you will see how important they can be.  Customize for your office and the information that is comfortable.

Mary Harrison, CDA, EFDA, EFODA, FADAA

Thanks for meeting us at the Oregon Dental Conference!

Remember to renew your ADAA dues as well as keep your DANB certificates current.
There are many opportunities for Continuing Education through The DALE Foundation or through ADAA. Courses through ADAA are free to members, use that benefit for yourself.

The Oregon Dental Conference is just around the corner and there are many opportunities for education. As always ODAA has excellent offerings for you. Stop by the ODAA booth to see what is new. WE welcome questions and are always happy to assist in any way we can. SEE YOU THERE

Mary Harrison, CDA, EFDA, EFODA, FADAA

Organization and anticipation is always the key to being one step ahead of the Dentist. A dentist will always appreciate a dental assistant who can think and react in that manner.

Kandra Luna, CDA, EFDA, EFODA