Public Health Trends- Hailey Mitchell

I am from Meridian, Idaho and had the opportunity to interview Kelsey Denning, a dental assistant at Taylor Family Dentistry in Boise, Idaho. I contacted the Idaho Public Health District but they never got back to me. So I proceeded to interview the trends that were going on in dental hygiene. I was interested in the responses that I was given.

Mrs. Denning shared an example of a man coming in with a tooth ache. The dental hygienists proceeded to take care of him by taking x-rays and scheduled an appointment for a treatment. The new patient paid up front for the x-ray but could not pay for the treatment so the man was given a prescription for medication to ease the pain until a later time when he could pay for the treatment. After the man never came back for treatment, the office was realizing that some patients are finding ways to prescription hop from doctor to doctor and say that they need pain medicine because they can’t afford the treatment at the time.

One concern right now is the thought that fluoride is the cure all against cavities. Cavities are actually caused by decay and acid, and fluoride is used to protect this. Taking fluoride supplements when not recommended by a health professional can result in yellowing of teeth.  Balancing the PH in somebody’s mouth decreases the amount of bacteria and erosion of teeth. Lack of education contributes overall to this concern.

Young adults who tend to come in with a tooth ache think they just need a filling, when they need more than just that. They could walk away with dentures with how decayed their mouths look. Young adults who have school all day sip on sodas to get them through the day, and then drink energy drinks to keep them awake through the night shift of work. Not having a sufficient amount of time to eat properly is a contributing factor to the ease of convenience drinks. Mrs. Denning is concerned about the nutrition trend in the young adults.

A fear of coming to the dentist is prevalent for some patients. Needles, the dentist, and environment sometimes make patients anxious, uncomfortable, and not willing to seek medical help for oral hygiene. Some low income families cut the dentist out of the yearly budget which in turn provides poor dental care. Neglect of teeth leads to embarrassment to come to the dentist until the pain is unbearable. Routine checkups are needed even though one may brush and floss daily. Having the routine of going to the dentist annually or semiannually is important to having healthy oral hygiene when older.

An alarming trend that is being seen in the dental sphere of health is that mothers are coming in wanting to have their ten year old daughter’s teeth whitened. Even though white teeth are sought after, it is important to know that children’s teeth are naturally whiter than when adult teeth grow in. Mothers want their children to have as white of teeth as before – before they lost their teeth. Whitening teeth thins enamel on the tooth. Whitening children’s teeth is advised against for their safety.