North Carolina dental hygiene students' opinions about tobacco cessation education and practices in their programs.

Inadequate training in tobacco cessation counseling (TCC) is a recognized, but mutable, barrier to implementation of tobacco cessation education (TCE) and intervention strategies in dental practice. The objective of this study was to identify the opinions and practices of senior dental hygiene (DH) students in North Carolina regarding their didactic training in TCE and integration of TCE into their clinical curricula. A pilot-tested questionnaire designed by the authors was administered to a cross-sectional, non-random convenience sample of 241 graduating senior DH students enrolled in all twelve North Carolina DH educational programs. Response rate was 65 percent (n=156). Of the respondents, 99 percent agreed that hygienists should be trained to provide TCE. Nearly all respondents (99 percent) had one or more patients who smoked, and 81 percent had one or more patients who used spit tobacco. Eighty-nine percent had one or more patients who had expressed a desire to quit. Most students were comfortable providing TCC to both smokers (92 percent) and spit tobacco users (93 percent); however, 26 percent reported that they were not comfortable providing quit messages to patients unwilling to quit. Enhancements to TCE in DH curricula may increase hygienists' incorporation of TCE into their future practice.

Effect of power toothbrushing on simulated wear of dental cement margins.

UNLABELLED: Power toothbrushes (PTBs), in combination with abrasive dentifrices, may encourage wear of dental cements at crown margins. PURPOSE: The objective of this in vitro simulation was to control the clinical variables associated with PTB use and measure the potential side effects of PTBs with mild and abrasive dentifrices. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Four PTBs ( Braun-Oral-B-Professional Care at 150 g brushing force, Sonicare-Elite at 90 g, Colgate-Actibrush at 200 g and Crest-Spinbrush-Pro at 250 g) and 2 dentifrices mixed 1:1 with tap water (Mild= Colgate-Total, Colgate-Palmolive; Abrasive= Close-up, Chesebrough-Ponds) versus tap water alone (control) were used to abrade 2 cements (Fleck's Mizzy Zinc Phosphate [ZP]; 3M-ESPE Unicem universal cement [UC]) using cement-filled slots (160 m wide) cut into wear-resistant ceramic blocks. A custom fixture controlled PTB/block alignment, PTB loads, and other testing variables. Wear was measured (3 profilometer traces/slot, 5 slots/block/group, baseline to 5-year differences) and analyzed (3-way ANOVA, p < or = 0.05, Bonferroni). RESULTS: Wear for ZP was much greater than UC (p<0.05) for all 4 PTBs and both dentifrices. Brushing with water showed no effects (p<0.05). Cement-PTB-dentifrice interactions did occur. Only minor differences occurred among PTBs. Pooled 5y-wear levels for ZP for both dentifrices approximately 21 microm /5y) were similar to values for current-day posterior composite materials. CONCLUSIONS: Combinations of PTBs with mild and abrasive dentifrices produced significant wear with ZP but not UC; thus, resin-composite cements seem to represent a better choice for wear resistance.

Cross-contamination of the PSP sensor in a preclinical setting.

PURPOSE: This study tested an infection control protocol for photostimulable phosphor (PSP) sensors while simulating multiple uses. METHODS: Dental hygiene students (n=36) were randomly assigned to a control group (dry wipe) or test group (disinfectant wipe). A sterile, barriered sensor was placed in a peer patient's mouth to simulate an exposure. After simulation, the barriered sensors were disinfected, placed into a new barrier, and inserted into the same peer patient's mouth. Following the fourth placement and treatment, sensors were vortexed in specimen cups containing trypticase soy broth (TSB) and incubated at 37 degrees C to detect contamination by oral bacteria. RESULTS: Bacterial growth in TSB was monitored as a change in optical density and by quantitation of oral streptococci on Mitis-salivarius agar. The barrier-protected sensors were minimally contaminated (<10(5) colony forming units/ml at baseline) regardless of treatment. After culture amplification, the control TSB had more samples that remained negative through 48 hours (5/18 vs. 0/18 for test group, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Barrier envelopes used with the PSP sensors appeared to be an effective way of reducing microbial contamination.