Topical fluoride for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents.

The use of topically applied fluoride has been widely researched as a means to reduce the risk of dental caries in conjunction with other treatment modalities (mechanical oral hygiene, dietary control, antimicrobial intervention, pit and fissure sealants). There is overwhelming evidence that reports not only the significance and importance of the use of fluoride as a caries-preventive agent, but also how safe fluoride application is when used appropriately, particularly in higher risk individuals and populations. This paper reviews the caries-protective benefits of topical fluoride application in children and adolescents, with an emphasis on the clinical efficacy and safety of the vehicles by which fluoride is topically delivered. Fluoride toothpaste represents today the most cost-effective fluoride-delivery system in the oral cavity and its use should be the centerpiece in all caries-preventive strategies. On the other hand, mouthrinses, gels and varnishes currently represent adjuncts to toothpaste use and should be targeted towards individuals and groups at high risk of caries.

The utilization of dental hygiene students in school-based dental sealant programs.

Early detection of childhood caries is important to childrens' overall health. Untreated childhood caries can lead to pain, as in abscesses from prolonged neglect; altered dietary intake; and delays in the development of the permanent teeth if the primary teeth are prematurely lost. In the summer of 2000, funds were provided to various oral health care provider organizations by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Oral Health, to purchase portable equipment to deliver preventive services (i.e., exams, sealants, and oral hygiene education) to second-grade and sixth-grade children who qualified for Medicaid and/or free and reduced-cost lunch programs. The Dental Sealant Grant Program at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale was a unique program that utilized dental hygiene students as the primary human resource. Within the state, the Dental Sealant Grant Program was, at the time of this report, the only grantee sponsored by a stand-alone dental hygiene program (not affiliated with a dental school). Other positive aspects of the dental hygiene-sponsored sealant program were that the supervising dentist was the primary Medicaid provider and a member of the dental hygiene faculty; dental hygiene faculty participated actively as site coordinators and clinicians; and dental hygiene students were given the opportunity to volunteer for the program as a service-learning option.

Oral health issues among migrant farmworkers.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to determine utilization patterns of dental services, unmet dental needs, access to care barriers, and oral health behaviors as perceived by migrant farmworkers at a rural southern Illinois farmworker health clinic. METHODS: Two bilingual dental hygiene students and one member of the local Hispanic community verbally administered a 26-item survey questionnaire to 119 migrant farmworker clients at a health center as they waited to receive care. RESULTS: Utilization results showed that 51% of those surveyed had not sought oral health care in the previous year, citing absence of pain or discomfort as the primary reason. Forty-one percent reported seeking oral health care on a yearly basis, while 42% only sought care when in pain. Primary services received were examinations, prophylaxes, and restorations. Having received brushing instructions was reported by 58%, while 45% had received instructions on flossing. Barriers to care were reported as limited clinic hours (57%), high fees (33%), and lack of transportation (17%). Most respondents reported regular brushing habits, but only 11% used floss daily, 38% occasionally, and 52% didn't use it at all. Only 7% reported smoking. Meanwhile, bleeding gingiva was reported by 50%, swollen or tender gingiva by 37%, and tooth loss by 49%. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of migrant farmworkers in a southern Illinois community reported access to care barriers, and having never or episodically received dental services. Nearly half reported signs of periodontal disease.