bacterial testing

Why I Teach Salivary Testing as a Dental Hygiene Instructor

Posted on by Lisa Proffitt, RDH, BS
  I am a dental hygienist and have spent most of my career in a periodontal practice. Most recently I split my time at Dr. Steven Peiser’s office and serve as a faculty member at Goodwin College in Connecticut teaching Oral Pathology to dental hygiene students. It has been so exciting to teach this course and share my knowledge and experience.  Specifically, I most enjoy teaching about the relationship of pathogenic bacteria to the oral-systemic link which is crucial to understand wh...
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Periodontal Disease, Perio Pathogens & Rocket Science

Posted on by Richard H. Nagelberg, DDS
Risk factors for heart attack include; age, tobacco, high blood pressure, lipid profile, diabetes, family history of heart attack, lack of physical activity, obesity, stress, illicit drug use, history of preeclampsia, history of autoimmune condition such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis and so on and so on. Why have all these risk factors been identified? Because it is better to prevent a heart attack than it is to have one. Risk factor identification and modification is the cornerstone of p...
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A Periodontist’s Nonsurgical Approach to Periodontal Disease: Part 2

Posted on by Lee Sheldon DMD PA
Last week I wrote on how MyPerioPath® testing impacts patient diagnosis. Now I will address another aspect of the report, the systemic antibiotic option. There are some “purists” out there who say they don’t need antibiotics, and that they only need clinical evaluation to treat a periodontal infection. I can’t see the bacteria. I don’t know the involvement or virulence of these pathogens. While I strongly believe that antibiotics are overused in health care, when there is a true infection of...
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A Periodontist’s Nonsurgical Approach to Periodontal Disease: Part 1

Posted on by Lee Sheldon DMD PA
I am a periodontist who has been using OralDNA® testing to determine periodontal pathogens for many years. Our practice consists of two periodontists and a restorative dentist. Most of our patients have major dental needs such as implants, bone grafts, and restorative needs, as well as a large population with chronic periodontitis. Philosophically, I believe that saving teeth is the role of a periodontist. Too many teeth are being extracted that can be saved in health for many years. There a...
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Periodontal Therapy Without Pharmaceuticals

Posted on by Tonya Sneed RDH Michelle Wilson RDH
Challenge: A patient of record with a history of prostate cancer is exhibiting active signs of periodontal disease. Background:  A 69 year old male with a history of prostate cancer including surgical removal of the prostate. Patient also has a history of atrial fibrillation and cardiac ablation. He presents with active periodontal disease symptoms. The patient states, “I want to be proactive and per my functional medicine doctor, there could be bacteria complicating my overall health.” ...
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Periodontal Patient with Poor Diabetic Control Combined with Poor Home Care

Posted on by Carter Lamb RDH
Challenge: A periodontal patient of record is diagnosed with active periodontal disease. Therapy is needed to achieve a healthier oral state; however the patient has uncontrolled diabetes combined with poor home care that may be contributing to the patient’s oral health status. Background:  A female patient of record, age 48, presented for periodontal maintenance on 11/19/2018. Upon periodontal assessment, the patient exhibited oral inflammation with bleeding, moderate calculus deposits a...
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Active Periodontal Disease with Multiple Medical Complications

Posted on by Brie Eickhoff RDH
Challenge: A patient with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and active periodontal disease, most recently was diagnosed with Type II diabetes, will receive periodontal therapy. Currently, proper home care is limited to the physical difficulties of MS. Background:  A 58-year-old female presented on 4/17/2018 with a chief complaint of xerostomia and physical difficulties challenging a proper home care regimen. Due to living with MS for several years, the patient has partial left-side paralysis result...
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Classic Periodontal Disease Reaches Remission

Posted on by Kristi Case-Williamson RDH
Challenge: Several years of periodontal neglect revealed significant disease. Background:  A 48-year-old female, new patient presented with the chief complaint of a broken mandibular molar with swelling that resolved temporarily when taking antibiotics for a sinus infection. The patient reported it has been several years since receiving dental care. The CT scan showed several teeth with periapical abscesses and furcation involvements. The periodontal assessment, including radiographs reve...
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30 Years of Periodontal Maintenance with Relapse and Cardiovascular Complications

Posted on by Kendra Linders RDH
Challenge: After decades of periodontal stability, the patient presented with a rapid advancement of pocketing and inflammation over a period of only 9 months. Background:  A 60-year-old male maintaining periodontal health for over 30 years started to relapse. Upon periodontal assessment, there were increasing pockets throughout, especially around an implant, of 9mm. The gingiva was generally medium pink with rolled margins and spongy, erythematous papilla with isolated severe inflammatio...
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MyPerioProgress® – Your Road Map

Posted on by Kimberly Babauta, RDH, BS, BCPA
Several years ago, Dr Herb Bader wrote: “The literature supports the advantages of determining the causative organisms in the biofilm, that induces the destructive inflammatory response (Haffajee, Tanner, Teles andSocransky, 2006). In addition, there is a considerable body of evidence supporting the accuracy and sensitivity of salivary testing as being virtually identical to sulcular samples. Work by Giannoble, Wong and others (2008) have confirmed this. Data from thousands of such tests has...
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