1. Make a report on the microbiological basis of dental health.

2. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Prove your point of view with the facts presented in the texts of the Unit.

1. Streptococci are numerically dominant in the flora of the mouth cavity.

2. Bacteria produce plaque by adherence to the floor of the mouth.

3. Researchers have already specified the microorganisms causing most of the oral diseases.

4. Bacteria from gum diseases are not linked to chronic diseases.

5. Gum disease of a pregnant woman may be responsible for pre-term delivery or low weight of her child at birth.

Unit X. Hygiene of the oral cavity and preventive dentistry

Lead-in

Hardly there is anyone who doubts the role of oral hygiene and preventive dentistry in oral health maintenance. Still there may be some questions which are not quite clear for an ordinary person. A dentist is to explain the importance of oral hygiene to the patient and to clarify the ideas of preventive dentistry. How often do you get instructions on oral hygiene from your dentist? Does he/she emphasize its role? What information on the preventive measures does an average dental patient lack?

Reading

Preventive dentistry

Preventive dentistry consists of the various educational procedures, used by dentists, dental hygienists, physicians, nurses, teachers and others to develop scientific oral health knowledge. It is aimed at preventing the improper oral cavity functioning and harmful habits. The procedures utilized include effective and scientifically correct educational measures or specific preventive techniques, such as the topical application of sodium fluoride to teeth, the addition of fluoride to public water supplies, proper toothbrushing, proper diet, the interference with oral habits and the prevention of accidents to teeth.

The objectives of preventive dentistry, in the broader sense, are to prevent:

 factors which predispose to disease or disorder;

 the disease itself;

 factors which evoke severe manifestations of acute disease;

 factors which tend to maintain disease in a chronic stage;

 factors which permit the progressive advance of disease;

 the complications of disease, both local and systemic, including death;

 factors which tend to maintain disability resulting from disease;

 factors which interfere with rehabilitation.

Preventive dentistry should be taught as philosophy, in all phases of the curriculum. It should be a joint responsibility of all departments of the dental school. The teaching of preventive dentistry should emphasize the various levels of prevention, including:

 measures to promote positive oral and general health, such as improved nutrition and mouth hygiene;

 the application of specific preventive measures, such as fluoridation;

 early diagnosis and treatment, as for neoplasms;

 measures to interrupt or delay the progress of disease, and to limit disability;

 measures which will contribute to rehabilitation, such as orthodontics, prosthetic services, oral surgery and esthetical dentistry.

Grammar

Revision of the Tense forms.

Open the brackets using an appropriate Tense form of the verbs. Discuss cases where different variants are possible.

Mrs Hay (drive) along a small country road when she (see) a man at the side of the road. He (wave) and (point) at his car. Mrs Hay (stop) and (ask) the man if he (be) all right. “My car is broken”, said the man. “Where you (want) to go?” asked Mrs Hay. “London”, replied the man. “Well, I (not go) to London, but I (give) you a lift to the station, if you like.” On the way to the station they chatted. “ You (work) in London?” asked Mrs Hay. “No, I don’t. I (run) my own business in Oxford. But today I (have) lunch with a friend in London – we always (have) lunch together on Fridays. I (promise) to meet her at one o’clock”. “There (be) a train at 11.30. I don’t think you (be) late for your appointment.” When they (arrive) at the station, a train (stand) at the platform. “That’s your train,” said Mrs Hay, - “You (catch) it if you’re quick”. After the man (get out) of the car, Mrs Hay (drive away). A few minutes later she (realize) that she (make) a mistake: it was the wrong train. She went back to the station, but the train wasn’t there: it (leave) already. Mrs Hay asked at the information desk where the train (go). “It’s the express to Edinburgh and it (not stop),” the information clerk told her.

Summary