Throughout my education here at the City Tech Dental Hygiene program, I have had to take part in several research projects. The first one was a group project about the growing threat of antibiotic resistant bacteria. We specifically discussed how the over prescribing and misuse of antibiotics can leave behind surviving bacteria that are no longer susceptible to the drug. These bacteria have the ability to actually pass on this resistance to other bacteria. We emphasized that sensitivity testing of the specific bacteria in an patient’s infection is key to combating resistance, as well as making sure the patient understands that they must finish their antibiotic regimen completely, even if they are feel an improvement in their symptoms.
The Rise of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria
The next research project I had to conduct was a PowerPoint presentation cover in the following:
Nicotine Stomatitis: the is the hype keratinization of the hard palate caused by chronic smoking. The characteristic red dots seen in nicotine stomatitis are cause by inflamed minor salivary glands.
Ankyloglossia: a condition in which a person has a very short lingual frenum that can cause difficulty in speech. The frenum can loosen over time or be alleviated through myofascial therapy. A frenectomy to cut the frenum and free the tongue is also an option.
Geographic Tongue: a condition of unknow origin in which a person has red, pink, and white patches on the dorsal surface of the tongue. The red and pink areas are the result of the shedding of filiform papillae of the tongue. As the papillae shed and grow back in different locations, the appearance of a geographic tongue can change over time. Although treatment isn’t necessary for this condition, it should be noted in the patients chart.
Black Hairy Tongue: cause by the delayed shedding of the filiform papillae found on the dorsum of the tongue. This cause a buildup on the tongue that can be stained black. Although unsightly, this can be easily managed with regular use of a tongue cleaner.
This last project involved planning and implementing a public health program that focused on improving the health of a community. My group and I chose to focus on the nutrition on school aged children. My previous experience in human services work came in handy for this project. For my portion of the project, I drew up an urban gardening program that the children can take part in. I specifically chose this because it has been found that children who take part in the food growing process are more likely to make better food choices throughout their lives. It also helps to encourage them to try new foods. It is important to conduct this program with younger children because it helps with eating socialization and normalizing the eating of healthy foods.
