The Journal of the American Dental Association
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Hypoxia in the dental setting, especially in medically compromised or sedated patients, is a common perioperative problem. It is essential that clinicians monitor patients' vital signs during certain dental procedures to ensure optimal patient safety. This article describes the principles and use of pulse oximetry to help prevent hypoxia in dental patients.
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The authors examined the effect of smokeless tobacco use on the athletic performance of major league baseball players during the 1988 season. They evaluated performance records of 158 players on seven major league teams who played or pitched at least 10 games or innings during the 1988 season. ST use, they concluded, is not related to player performance in major league baseball but does place players at significantly increased risk for mucosal lesions and other oral pathology.
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The authors studied the attitudes of 1,000 U. S. dentists toward the treatment of HIV-positive patients. Using a random-sample mail survey, they measured dentists' professional attitudes toward treating HIV/AIDS patients, fear of contagion and negative emotions toward HIV-positive patients. The results indicate that 68 percent of the respondents would treat an HIV-positive patient, even if the possibility for a legitimate referral exists.