Book introduces kids to sealants

Hello readers, and welcome to 2018, a brand-new year bursting with unlimited possibilities!

The Sealant Book

A research paper published in the November 2017 issue of the Journal of Dentistry, stated, “Almost all adults in the U.S. eventually develop caries, which is a sobering statistic, and one that the profession is trying to curtail through prevention efforts, including placing sealants on the occlusal surfaces of children’s and adolescents’ teeth. Sealants have proved to be effective at preventing and arresting carious lesions, which is why the ADA and AAPD created the 2016 guidelines.1,2 From the perspective of the sealant’s clinical performance, all deciduous or permanent posterior teeth could be effectively sealed.”2

According to the ADA Health Policy Institute 2017 report, more children are visiting the dental office than ever before, giving us the opportunity to educate them and their parents about the benefit of sealants. This is great news and so is the timely release of the first children’s book about sealants, authored by E. Rosa Perez, RDH.

“The Sealant Book” is the story of Bud, a tooth who wants to protect himself against cavity bugs. The entertaining characters and straightforward dialogue explain how a sealant is placed while emphasizing the long-lasting benefits of sealants.

This book will make a great addition to your patient education materials and reception room literature. It’s a quick, easy read with colorful illustrations. My grandchildren loved the story and asked when they could get their teeth sealed too. Order your copy today on amazon.com in paperback for $21.99 or in Kindle for $3.99.

Home Whitening

Whitening Strips by Oral Essentials, according to the manufacturer, is the first certified, nontoxic at-home whitening strips that whiten fast (30 minutes) with no pain or sensitivity. Formulated by Kourosh Maddahi, DDS, who practices in Beverly Hills, Calif., the formula boasts a patent-pending, combination of natural ingredients including non-GMO xylitol, Dead Sea salt, coconut oil, lemon peel oil, and sage oils. This is the first whitening strip to use Dead Sea salts, which contain the beneficial minerals of calcium, manganese, and phosphate, making these strips enamel-friendly!

In a clinical study, the effects of hydrogen peroxide-free Oral Essentials whitening strips were compared to a popular brand. The results indicated a similar level of whitening, without damage to composite fillings, porcelain crowns, and veneers, with no post-operative sensitivity.3

The whitening strips are packaged in boxes of 28 strips (14 treatments) for $43.99, or in single use strips for $2.99 each available from amazon.com. Give them a try today!

Captivate by NuPro (Dentsply Sirona) is an 11.2% hydrogen peroxide pre-filled tray whitening system, which is also a great affordable option for home whitening, especially for those patients who do not want to invest in custom trays.

This NuPro system is convenient and easy to use. Just peel open the foil packet, remove the soft flexible tray, and place on upper and lower teeth. Wear the trays for 30 to 45 minutes and throw them away. These trays can be used once per day for up to seven days. The box contains seven upper and seven lower trays, sells for about $31 and can be purchased from your dealer. I love them because I can throw them in my suitcase and hit the road with a brighter smile.

Floss like a boss!

Good intentions are what most patients have when they leave your chair. They promise they will do better. Unfortunately, for most patients, their intention to floss daily doesn’t last. Enter Flosstime, the world’s first automated floss dispenser.

This unique device sticks to your bathroom mirror. With just a tap, it dispenses the perfect amount of floss. You might even say that Flosstime has a bit of an attitude; it offers a bright blue LED smile when you floss, and a bright orange LED frown when you forget. About 3 inches in diameter, the attractive white dispenser also features a dual user mode making it possible for you and your partner to be reminded to floss!

Flosstime hasn’t left out the kids! Believing that good habits start early, three appealing colorful animal covers are available to help motivate children to floss too. Choose from a bright orange fish, a lime green frog (my favorite), or a cherry red lobster for just $7 each. Together with the LED smile, the characters happily remind kids to create the daily habit of flossing.

Flosstime makes it easy to get started and keep on flossing with their subscription service. Buy a subscription starter kit, which includes one Flosstime device, one animal cover, two units of floss (55 yards), and a floss holder and you’ll get your floss refills sent to you every one, two, or three months as you choose. One floss cartridge lasts about three months per user. Of course, you can purchase the device without the refill subscription, but why would you do that? Visit flosstime.com for more information and to order your device today.

KIM MILLER,RDH, BSDH, is the co-founder of PerioFrogz.com, an information-based website providing free current oral-systemic research summaries and patient education downloads. Kim is also a coach with Inspired Hygiene, delivering customized hands-on training. She speaks internationally, writes articles and webinars, and enjoys clinical dental hygiene. Kim lives in Arizona and welcomes you to contact her at [email protected].

References

1. Journal of the American Dental Association, August 2016, Vol. 147:8, pp. 672-682.

2. Journal of Dentistry, November 2017, Vol. 66, pp. 8-17.

3. Takesh T, Saragsyan A, Lee M, Anbarani A, Ho J et al. (2017) Evaluating the Whitening and Microstructural Effects of a Novel Whitening Strip on Porcelain and Composite Dental Materials. Dentistry 7:448. Doi:10.4172/2161-1122. 1000448/