Pet Dentistry Becoming a Core in Animal Care

There is no doubt that pet dentistry has become a founding aspect of animal care. Pet owners should also concern themselves of the health of their pet’s teeth, gums, and mouth. Bacteria build up in the mouth can result to the pet becoming sick if not treated right away. You would not want your pet cat or dog to be hurting all the time because of a tooth ache, would you? This is why there is a demand for veterinarians who focus on pet dentistry as well. There are also a lot of health professionals who are starting to consider becoming a veterinary assistant or veterinary nurse in order to be able to cater to pet’s every need – especially regarding their teeth! There is much to thank about those who choose a career in Animal Care.

Dental Problems that make you want to Auction your teeth like an unused Equipment

There are times when your teeth become so damaged, the only probable thing you can do is sell them at the nearest dental equipment auction. Exaggerating aside, damaged teeth is caused by various dental problems that most people face today. Having broken teeth is certainly noticeable and anyone would not want to have that noticed. A smile, after all, is our greatest accessory - meaning having a healthy set of teeth is sure to brighten up anyone's day. In order to be shine bright on others and feel good about yourself, here are some common oral issues and how to fix and prevent them.

1 - Shifting Teeth

Problem: According to cosmetic dental surgeons, teeth have the tendency to shift location every now and then. This is true and unnoticeable even if you have teeth that are naturally aligned. It has been observed that dental restorations cause the teeth to crowd, especially if they get chipper and become small. Continuous chewing can cause the teeth to wear down and become smaller - which can be problematic because small teeth create gaps and this will cause the pearly whites to move or overlap each other.

Solution: Taking good care of your teeth will prevent cavities from developing. As a result, this will eliminate the need for fillings. This can be done by brushing and flossing regularly. Otherwise, one must resort to wearing a mouth guard or a retainer.

2 - Teeth Discoloration

Problem: Teeth deteriorate as time goes by and this causes the thin layer of the tooth to expose its inner yellowish substance. This is why the teeth appear to change color from pure white to dirty yellow. Teeth discoloration can also be caused by smoking or consuming certain types of food and drinks that are hazardous for the teeth.

Solution: Make sure to visit the dentist once a year for a teeth whitening procedure. Help maintain this by using a whitening fluoride toothpaste on a regular basis. It is not recommended to whiten the teeth twice per year because this will cause the tooth to look weirdly translucent. In some cases where teeth is too discolored to be whitened, people can make use of veneers as a last resort. Dentists also help their patients preserve the tooth's natural color by using tools that can be found in a dental equipment auction.

3 - Receding Gums

Problem: Although this dental condition is rare, it can prove problematic to those who are affected. Gums move down and expose the root of the tooth which then result to sensitivity and irritation. Gums moving and root getting out in the open can be caused bu either trauma, infection or aging. Receding gums due to trauma is caused by not brushing the tooth gently. Another reason for receding gum line is infection due to external oral issues. Some dentists will also point out that aging can cause the gums to recede. This still remains to be seen since not everyone experience this phenomena.

Solution: Receding gums can be prevented by brushing the teeth gently, making use of soft bristles. For about 2 minutes per day, The teeth should be brushed once in the morning and once in the evening. Flossing is also an essential method since it cleans the area between the teeth.

Dental Equipment Sales may shift to Lasers instead of Drills

Pave the way for the future as dental drill hand pieces will now be replaced by lasers that are said to regrow teeth. Recent research sheds light into the matter of teeth regeneration made possible with the use of low power lasers. While it is not new for lasers to be utilized in oral therapy, new findings bring to light lasers activating dental stem cells which leads to teeth regeneration. Dentists already have access to such lasers for they use it to decayed tooth parts. Using less powerful lasers, dentists will be able to tap the regenerative powers of manipulated light. Hand pieces may have to be subjected to dental equipment sales or worst, turn obsolete.

The use of lasers is not also new in the field of medicine - targeted light is being utilized to destroy tumor cells and other malignant that cause health, or even fatal, complications. Aside from its obvious incinerating power, it is also known for its capability to promote healing. It has been widely used to alleviate inflammation or pain and aid in the regeneration of damaged cells. This process is called photobiomodulation where regeneration is made possible by acting on stem cells. Reconstruction of the tooth was said to be achievable when researchers found out that wounds on small animals treated with focused laser grew dentin within 3 months.

Research was done by boring holes on molars of experimental lab rats then stuffing the wounds. Such wounds were then subjected to being fired with friendly amount of laser while others were not exposed to light therapy but were still being observed. In a matter of 12 weeks, dentin growth was discovered from wounds treated with laser. Dentin is responsible for protecting the tooth and is located between the pulp and enamel.

The experiment, however, was not a total success because the researchers were expecting dentin bridges but what formed were pulp stones. But perhaps with further research and by tweaking the laser, regenerating the bridge would be made possible.

Lasers are not only welcomed for their potential healing capabilities but they may very well address the prevalent fear of going to the dentist. Regenerative lasers are being looked into as potential substitute for the dental hand pieces whose sound contributes to the wrong perception that going to the dentist is excruciatingly painful. Once lasers can be deemed safe for use in dental offices, patients can permanently say goodbye to dreaded screech of the drill. This perception might change once dentists resort to the warmth of the lasers and discard their dental drills of imaginary torture. This might even trigger some dental equipment sales in order for dentists to accommodate the change.

If such is the case, when will low powered lasers be available for use in dental offices? Dental professionals and researches believe that it won't be long for laser therapy to be implemented. This is so because such dental equipment is already in use and their approval require less difficulty than medicines. But when exactly dentists swap hand piece drills for these warm light, no one can tell yet. Lasers may have been used since 1960's but it is currently still inefficient. Low doses of such warm light seems to have no effect while high doses prove to be adverse effects.

Sports Drinks proven harmful to Teeth - oral surgery instruments may not help

Research revealed that sports drinks cause permanent damage to the teeth. This is because energy drinks have high levels of acidity that tend to erode the teeth. Knowing this, the habit of consuming these power drinks is alarmingly prevalent in adults. This is probably because there is a prevalent misconception that these types of drinks increase stamina or improve performance, especially in sports or during work. Aside from that, people tend to consume more because they substitute it for soda – presumably due to their delectable tastes. People are unaware of the fact that they are unknowingly drowning their teeth in harmful acids that may not be fixed by oral surgery instruments.

Research was conducted to determine the acidity levels of sports and energy drinks. They submerged human tooth samples to such beverages for 15 minutes then immersed the samples in artificial saliva for 2 hours. This process was repeated 4 times daily for 5 days. This is said to be a simulation of how frequent young adults are consuming energy drinks and, in effect, bathing their teeth to damaging acids.

It was reported that the enamel was damaged after five days of being subjected to these highly acidic drinks. It was also observed that energy drinks proved to be more destructive than sports drinks. Energy drinks is concluded to be twice harmful to human teeth.

With this knowledge based from the above findings with regards to oral health, it is important to educate American citizens regarding the dental disadvantage of these types of drinks. According to reports, 30 to 50% of American teenagers are known to habitually consume energy drinks while 62% quench their thirst with sports drink daily. They should be informed that any damage to the tooth enamel becomes permanent and, therefore, forever irreversible. Once the enamel gets damaged, the tooth becomes extremely susceptible to various dental conditions that may prove problematic in the future like sensitive teeth, cavities and tooth decay. This damage is permanent that even the best oral surgery instruments will not be able to fix it.

Teenagers would come to the dentist's office with these oral conditions and not know what's causing it. The dental professionals would then examine the patient's snack habits and discover the intake of these sports beverages. Patients would be surprised to know that these sports drinks, which are seemingly harmless, have such extreme and adverse effects on their teeth.

In response to such, dentists are finding ways to combat the harmful effects of these highly acidic drinks. First off, they recommend that people lessen their consumption of sports or energy beverages. People should treat these drinks more like the energy giving supplement that they are originally designed for and only drink them before a heavy activity and not treat it like common soda. It is also good to follow up some habits after drinking such beverage. Examples of these habits are rinsing the mouth using water or eating sugar-free gum or help to get rid of the acids and increase saliva flow. An increase in the saliva flow usually helps to get the mouth's acidity levels back to normal. It is also suggested to brush the teeth an hour after consumption of sports drinks because brushing right away may help to spread the acid throughout the mouth.

Medical Supplies - Types

Medical supplies and equipment play a very significant role in the treatment of diseases and improving patient’s comfort until he is fully healed. Medical staff should be able to know which material fits the current demand and they should be able stock on medical supplies to be used in the future.

Self Care Devices, also referred to as “home care” devices, are pieces of equipment that a patient can operate on his own and does not require professional assistance all the time to be fully functional. These mechanisms are geared towards making the patient’s daily routine less difficult.  Examples of self care devices are hearing aids and mobility aids.

Acute Care Supplies are different from Self Care Devices since the former are requires professional assistance or supervision to function properly and are thus used mostly in hospitals or any similar medical institution. Examples are nursing care kits and non-surgical instruments.

Long-Term Care items, compared to Acute Care Supplies and Self Care Devices, are used for patients in a medical facility that houses them for a longer duration. These patients are more accurately referred to as “residents” and are mostly found in care centers such as nursing homes, assisted-living residences and rehabilitation centers.

Electronic machinery, specifically Electronic Medical Record (EMR ) or Electronic Health Record (EHR), is a fast-growing category because a number of companies have started to shift their attention on such equipment. Several firms have developed software to make the use of EMR more effective and efficient. They also have been trying to work on improving storage and transportation of the electronic equipments.

Diagnostic instruments are used to test or monitor the patient’s condition. These devices take periodic measurements that are then used for diagnosis or track progress. Examples of diagnostic tools are sphygmomanometer and otoscopes which measures blood pressure and evaluate ear health respectively.

Surgical tools are used to facilitate medical operations on a certain part of the patient’s body. Examples of surgical instruments are scalpel and hemostat. Also included under this category are disposable supplies that medical professionals use to protect themselves from potential infection. Disposable masks and gloves are but a few examples of protective wear that are considered surgical tools.

Durable Medical Equipments, or simply DME, are used with the patient’s safety and comfort in mind which mainly demands toughness. Instruments under this category are said to be tested thoroughly employing various durability tests that challenge load strength and slip prevention. Walking aids and wheelchairs are notable samples belonging under this category.

Emergency kits are the most frequently used medical supplies and are usually the first in line to be used in hospitals as well. This is so because the Emergency room is like the “front door” of every hospital. Samples are minor procedure supplies and wound care kits.

Storage and transport carts assist in delivering materials to patients for their convenience. They are also used to protect and store supplies for future use. Examples of such equipments are carts that carry and stock food or medical supplies. 

Why and How to take care of your Dental Equipment

Dental equipment plays a vital role in the success of a dentist’s practice. It is, after all, a crucial driving force in the productivity of the business. For this reason, medical materials should be well maintained. This should be done in the most affordable manner in order to protect valuable time and money invested on them. There may be companies that help achieve this by providing effective repair and support to help dentists focus their energies more on their patients and not on the machines. Nevertheless, it is always a good idea for dentists and their respective assistants to keep a maintenance schedule to take good care of their machines.

It is recommended to clean, disinfect, and sterilize instruments before use. This is applicable even to equipments that are being used for the first time - after having them removed from their respective wrapping. The importance of cleaning medical materials is further fueled by sanitary regulations. The process of having materials cleansed should be in accordance with approved procedures. Aside from medical apparatus themselves, methods are also under constant maintenance and inspection. The criteria by which the methods are based upon are to be inspected regularly. These regulations have legal implications and may vary depending on the area concerned – making it important to take note of.

When sanitizing a specific dental equipment, the dentist or the dental assistant is required to wear protective apparel like masks and gloves. The protective apparel used when handling delicate instruments should be in accordance to strict principles that concern health. To achieve optimal safety, instruments should be disinfected since they get contaminated after use. Failure to do so may put the dentist, dental assistant and even the patient at risk.

Before cleaning an instrument, the hygienist should make sure that noticeable impurities are removed right after use. They should follow instructions and the right procedures on how to clean a specific material as this may differ depending on the apparatus. It is also imperative to be mindful of the product being used for cleaning since using the wrong one could spell disastrous. Another thing to note is the right technique when cleaning since it could potentially damage or even destroy the instrument beyond repair. After the cleaning process has been taken care of, the dental assistant should make sure to dry the materials first before storing or having it ready for another use. For those items that need to be stored, the medical personnel should check them properly before wrapping them up. Wrapping material used should also be compatible with the item so that it won’t get damaged.

In sum, one cannot stress enough how important it is to keep dental materials in good condition. It not only provides a significant contribution to the productivity of dentists but it also ensures safe and effective operations for the patient as well. Regulations as well as procedures should be followed and the right cleaning products should be utilized. These are all acted out to ensure dental tools will have a longer life.