16/11/2020
All dentists know the primary piece of information that dental plaque is the one and only reason behind teeth decay and gum diseases - gingivitis and periodontitis- with its subsequent destruction to the hard and soft tissues constituting the attachment system. Yet, in my practice, it is very common to see patients who never been taught proper oral hygiene while presenting with several previous dental work.
Furthermore, we also know as dentists that wrong brushing technique leads either to destruction of hard tooth tissue cervically, gingival or gum recession or, at least still leaves a considerable amount of plaque on tooth surfaces capable of causing dental diseases.
dentists not teaching proper oral hygiene to patients presenting to their clinics for the first time while knowing how destructive it is to teeth and to their attachment system is below the standards of care they owe to their patients and is considered unethical!
Patients don’t know those informations, so they will never ask for this service, had they known, they would have definitely done!
meanwhile we as dentists have the key factor to their teeth and gum health which is “plaque control” but some of us hide the information from their patients, or at least don’t care enough to save their patients’ - who come to them with trust - to save their teeth and attachment system!
Care to teach good oral hygiene, I consider mandatory or an obligation on dentists towards their patients because the primary reason why patients visit dental offices is that they want to save their teeth and attachment system from diseases and wish to find a way to keep them serve as long as they live!
Teaching proper oral hygiene to patients is ethical!
Heba Ammar
