The New York state dental journal
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The purpose of this research was to examine the trend of high school adolescents obtaining an oral piercing. A questionnaire was sent to five high schools in Buffalo, NY. Of the 508 questionnaires returned, 49 of the respondents (10%) had an oral piercing. ⋯ Oral piercing maintenance was minimal or non-existent. Dental trauma/piercing-related injuries were common. Researchers concluded that the oral piercing trend in Buffalo, NY, high schools is small; however, students who are getting oral piercings are doing so without parental consent and often show signs of infection.
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The purpose of this study was to evaluate pediatric dentists in New York State who use oral sedation. Results indicated that fewer than 50% of pediatric dentists used oral sedatives in their office, but that of these dentists, more than 50% reported that their sedations are successful.
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Dental practices are seeing an increasing number of elderly and medically compromised patients, making it likely that staff will be called upon to respond to medical emergencies in the office, including cardiac arrest. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests account for nearly half of all cardiovascular deaths in the United States. In adult cardiac arrest victims, the most frequent cause of sudden cardiac arrest is ventricular dysrhythmia, either ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. ⋯ The development and availability of the automated external defibrillator (AED) represents a promising advance in the pre-hospital early defibrillation of victims of sudden cardiac arrest in a variety of settings, often remote from hospitals or EMS personnel. Given the medically compromised segment of the population treated in many dental practices today, it is imperative that dental practitioners and allied health providers become trained in the recognition and prompt initiation of emergency care, including basic life support with early defibrillation. The AED is becoming more accessible, with increasingly widespread availability, training in its use and relative ease of operation, making the goal of increased survival one in which dental health professionals can play a part.
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Case Reports
Displacement of avulsed tooth into soft tissue of chin resulting from epileptic attack trauma.
Maxillofacial trauma is the main cause of emergency admittance to dental clinics. Mental retardation and epileptic status are important factors in an increase in the risk of dental injuries. ⋯ The case of a patient with severe dental injury resulting from an epileptic attack is presented. He had several teeth avulsed and displacement of a tooth into the soft tissue of the chin.