Patient Education (continued:)
by student W. B.

My community project involved patient education of kids and adults in Helena, Montana. The patient education had several aspects, including, but not limited to periodontal screenings, full mouth probing, general hygiene instruction, the use of Xylitol gum as a preventative measure for cavity prone teenagers, and when applicable, a strong emphasis on getting people to stop smoking.

Educating children was a double faceted endeavor, as in order to effectively teach children about proper oral hygiene, we must also education their parents, many of which were also very young. I explained to the children the importance of brushing and gave them each a thorough demonstration. The parents were also instructed on how to floss their children’s teeth and urged to keep an adequate brushing and flossing schedule to prevent future problems. Each child was given an exam and a proper treatment plan was enacted if when necessary.

Teenagers and young adults were also given screenings and hygiene instruction. In addition, I explained the influence factors such as smoking, a high sugar diet, and a general lack of vigilance in oral hygiene at a young age can influence their oral health in the future. For teenagers that already presented multiple problems and extensive decay, I suggested Xylitol gum as a preventive option.

My focus with adults was primarily to encourage everyone to floss and giving demonstrations on how to effectively floss. As many of the patients were heavy smokers, I explained that smoking would eventually make them lose their teeth., among other oral and systemic problems.

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