Dental Hygiene Student Discovers the Value of OralDNA® Testing

By: Kayla Rauschert RDH

May 13, 2022

The Challenge:

To reduce periodontal pathogens in the oral cavity that are contributing to severe periodontal inflammation, improve oral malodor as reported by the patient and remove unsightly calculus buildup that is harboring oral pathogens.

The Background:

  • Age: 24
  • Sex: F
  • Medical History: Patient is overall healthy, last blood pressure was 128/78. Patient has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and autism. Patient is currently taking Haloperidol for Bipolar and uses an albuterol inhaler as needed (PRN). Patient also states use of recreational marijuana daily.
  • Family History: Patient informed me that her family has a history of heart disease.
  • Last Dental Exam: In 2021 to extract #31
  • Home Care: Brushing 1x/day and never flossing.
  • Chief Complaint: #17 bothers the patient daily because food gets impacted, and it gives off a bad odor. The patient also does not like the way her mandibular anterior teeth look, due to discolored calculus build up around the margins of the teeth.
  • Periodontal Assessment: Stage I Grade B based off assessment, generalized at CEJ and localized recession facial sextant 5.

The Solution:

  • Date of MyPerioPath® (Pre-Therapy) Test: 10/21/2021
  • Periodontal Therapy: Full mouth non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT)

The Result:

My patient and I were able to sit down together and have a conversation about her MyPerioPath® results and she was able to understand and see the different high, moderate, and low risk pathogens that were present in her oral cavity. I noticed a shift in my patient’s mindset about her oral health, especially after I was able to show her the lab results and connect the different pathogens that relate to other possible systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. After my patient saw and learned this information, it was a big connection for her personally because she noticed that the pathogens in her mouth could possibly also be related to her family’s history of cardiovascular disease. I am grateful for the opportunity that I was able to present my patient with her OralDNA® results, and I am now confident that I can use OralDNA® testing in my tool kit as a future hygienist to help my patients understand the connection between their oral health and overall health.

About the Author:

Kayla graduated from Colorado Northwestern Community College in 2022. She has several accomplishments while in school such as certification in placing Arestin™, experience with diode laser and Vice President of Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association. She is confident the skills she has developed in school will help her connect to her patient on a personal level and will prepare her for variety which is the “Day in a Dental Office.” She is looking for a home to keep her on her toes.

She moved to Colorado from Oregon, but she visits as often as she can. Her passions include working out, snowboarding, mountain biking and bowling.