DEOH 203 Assignment (Student ID: 7559879)
Dental caries is a multifactorial disease, resulting from the interrelationship between biological, social and environmental factors. A numerous risk factors are involved in the initiation and progression of the disease. In order to fully understand the effects of different risk factors on caries, it is important to have comprehended knowledge on the background mechanisms and the causes involved. New Zealand is a culturally versatile country which comprises individuals with different ethnic groups. Ethnicity is thought to be one of the many factors that place a person at a greater risk of developing the disease and may hasten its progression. In New Zealand, 'non-white' population are usually suffer from poverty and shown with poorer oral health. Within ethnicity, socio-economic status plays a major role (involves in income, demographic area, diet and education). Dental caries in children is an issue that cannot be ignored as it can affect their adult oral health and overall wellbeing.
Dental caries is the product of localised chemical dissolution of the tooth surface caused by metabolic events taking place in the biofilm (dental plaque) covering the affected area (Fejerskov, Kidd, Nyvad & Baelum, 2012). Carious lesion develops over time due to a complex interaction of bacteria acid and carbohydrate with saliva and teeth (Manton, Drummond & Kilpatrick, 2012). The host factors- teeth, microbes and diet are all interrelated in the oral cavity. The caries process is determined by the quality of tooth and saliva (important role in remineralisation by providing hydroxyapatite). The bacteria that are present in the oral cavity are known as dental plaque, t...
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Manton, D., Drummond, B.K., & Kilpatrick, N. (2012). Dental caries. In A.C. Cameron & R.P. Widmer (Eds). Handbook of Pediatric Dentistry (pp.39-52). London: Mosby-Elsevier.
Ministry of Health (2013). The health of Maori adults and children. Retrieved from http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/health-maori-adults-and-children
Schluter, P., Durward, C, Cartwright, S., & Paterson, J. (2007). Maternal self -report of oral health in 4 -year- old Pacific children from South Auckland, New Zealand: Findings from the Pacific Islands families study. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 67(2), 69-77.
Sherman, C. (2011). Dental health of children from a low socio-economic background: socio-political nursing in the New Zealand context. Whitireia Nursing Journal, 18, 15-24. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com/docview/957056713?accountid=14700
However, on the a recent visit dated 23/12/13 the patient’s gingival condition had deteriorated, presenting with an increased plaque scores of 34% and bleeding scores to 63%. Intra oral examination also showed generalised oedema and erythema throughout in the mouth in response to this increase in plaque bacteria. The presence of supra-gingival calculus on lower anterior teeth and both sites of upper buccal molars and the patients BPE now reads 212 /121, putting the patients caries risk at a ‘High’ status.
(1) LOW INCOME AND LACK OF INSURANCE: A number of studies have linked poor oral health with low socioeconomic status. Affordability is identified as major challenge in accessing dental care. “For instance, 17.3 per cent of the whole population (i.e., approximately
As we grow up, we are often asked what we want to be. Many people say careers such as a doctor or an actor. When I grow up, I want to be a dental hygienist. When I tell people this they often think i’m crazy for wanting to “work in someone’s mouth”. Dental hygiene is appealing to me. It is a big part of personal hygiene and keeping yourself healthy. One of the first things a person notices about you is your smile and I want to help people perfect theirs. I know that being a dental hygienist will not be the easiest thing in the world but there are some benefits. You don’t have to work full time if you don’t want to. Also as stated by Jenny Lewellen, “Overtime is not expected” (Lewellen). Hygienists also get a good salary. “The median annual wage for
Miller, Edward. The Tooth Book: a Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums. Holiday House, 2009.
Saliva contains glucose; therefore, if you have uncontrolled diabetes, the amount of glucose present in your saliva is elevated. We naturally have somewhere between 200 to 300 bacterial species in our mouths: Some of these bacteria are good and some of them are bad. Streptococcus mutans is typically the bacterium responsible for causing tooth decay; whereas, periodontal disease is usually caused by a mixture of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola.
I can remember being a little boy sitting at the piano in church, listening to the preacher talk of how Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, which symbolizes the idea that we are here to serve. That message profoundly resonated with me throughout life. It was not until I began accompanying my grandmother to her multiple dental visits that I was able to see how I could put this calling of service into action. I saw firsthand the significant positive impact my grandmother’s dentist was able to make in her life, which encouraged me to want to learn about the field of dentistry. I then started researching dental health and learning of the importance of oral healthcare and how it affects the entire body. I then began to learn of how patient access to proper dental care was limited because of several factors such as, financial barriers, transportation, and dental fear, especially in the underserved minority communities. Given the shortage of black dentists, I realized I could make a positive difference by being an inspiration to those in the community, as well as serve in a professional career that would provide needed healthcare to the community. This is when I began to develop such a strong passion for
Sundby, A., & Petersen, P. E. (2003). Oral health status in relation to ethnicity of children in the Municipality of Copenhagen, Denmark. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 13(3), 150-157.
Picture yourself with a toothache or someone with poor hygiene and knowing you cannot do anything to change it without a dentist. A dentist is specialized individual that treats the diseases and conditions that affect the oral cavity.
Each country in today’s world has their own growth and their own dental care system. As you can see in appendix 5 and 6 you will see “Scorecard assessment of state of evidence for action, leadership, resources and health systems in important areas of oral health”(Beaglehole Pg 90). The global scale is organized in 3 categories high income, middle income and low income countries. High income countries world population is on...
Diabetes mellitus affects an estimated 20 million Americans, about 35 to 40 % of whom have not received a diagnosis. More than 9 % of the adult population has diabetes, and both the incidence and prevalence are increasing every year.” (Mealey, 2006, page 1) This is a scary statement. These numbers include our parents, aunts, uncles, sisters and brothers. We need to be aware that this is a real threat. Many of these individuals most likely have some type of periodontal issues as well, particularly if the diabetes is uncontrolled or not yet diagnosed. The health of the mouth can play a significant role in the overall health of the body.
Over time as individuals age and are faced with access to care issues they may begin to neglect their oral health. As time passes between dental hygiene cleanings or dentist visits the presence of oral disease may begin to increase.
Cappelli, D. P., & Mobley, C. C. (2008). Prevention in clinical oral health care. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby Elsevier.
Dental plaque is a bacterial collection with their products on the teeth or other solid oral structures, covered by a jelly-like tenacious material and it is responsible for two major dental diseases; caries and periodontal disease (Chandra, 2000). Good oral hygiene is a foundation step in the development of disease-free oral cavity of infants through adolescents (Srivastava, 2011). Plaque control is of prime importance for the prevention of these diseases and for good dental health as it helps to reduce the number of microorganisms present in the oral cavity, hence, reducing the dental plaque (Muthu and Sivakumar, 2009; Tare, 2007).
Dental hygiene is a dynamic and challenging career that offers team work, personal growth, and extraordinary benefits, and it is the perfect career for me. As a health care professional, the dental hygienist is an important member of the dental team providing patient care. Good qualities for a dental hygienist are compassion and enjoying talking to people which are two qualities that fit my personality. I love the thought of knowing I made a positive impact in a person's health. Becoming a dental hygienist professionally requires you to obtain an associate degree in dental hygiene. They affect the average American by educating them about dental care. A dentist helps people with their dental health, which can greatly impact a person’s day-to-day life.
Maintaining oral health is extremely important not only for your mouth, but for your overall health (Wallace, Taylor, Wallace & Cockrell, 2010). Poor oral health impacts a person’s quality of life and general health, It causes pain which could result in poor nutrition (Griffin, Jones, Brunson, Griffin & Bailey, 2012). The residents at Menarock aged care have a private dentist from Alpha dental that visits the facility when prompted, although some resident’s families take them to their own family dental professional.