Leah M. Nelson, RDH

	Our mouth is the doorway to the rest of the body. It delivers our words, smiles or grimaces, and feeds us. Most people tend to ignore the body in general in the absence of pain. The same is especially true for the mouth. The problem with this way of thinking is that once pain develops in the mouth the oral problem is now severe.
	
	As a dental hygienist we have a lot of information from the experiences of helping others with their teeth. If we just had more time to share this with you these are the things we would say.
	
	People who don’t get regular dental care have a hard time understanding their mouth or what they can do at home to help themselves. By looking at the different ways problems can present in the oral cavity you can try to understand your own mouth better.
	
	Finding the oral hygiene tools that work for your mouth and that you like to use is important. With limited patient time and multiple home care products to choose from at the store it is tough to know what or how to use them. I have provided product information to help with this.
	
	You have every right to have questions about dental care. The dental treatment provided at the dental office by professionals for periodontal disease can sometimes be confusing to patients. At the end of this book are definitions and codes for them. That way if you want to call your dental office or insurance company about these treatment options you can talk in the dental language.
	
	It is important to see a dentist regularly. This helps to find oral problems if they develop when they are smaller than without regular exams. When you see a professional they can diagnose and help treat dental problems. This encourages the ability for you to keep your teeth for your lifetime. The work you do at home daily is the best deterrent of gum disease and cavities. Finding the products you like and will use that work is very important. Also understanding what doesn’t work, even if you use it regularly, is vital for oral health.
	
	This book is to assist you in creating a healthier mouth. It is written in a topic format with information about each subject in the paragraph following. The information gathered is from my experience as a dental hygienist and as a dental assistant. Both the topics and explanations of them come from my 26 years of experience in the dental field.  It will help you find the tools you need for better self care and be savvy on the dental treatment we provide as professionals. 

Articles

 Our mouth is the doorway to the rest of the body. It delivers our words, smiles or grimaces, and feeds us. Most people tend to ignore the body in general in the absence of pain. The same is especially true for the mouth. The problem with this way of thinking is that once pain develops in the mouth the oral problem is now severe.  As a dental hygienist we have a lot of information from the experiences of helping others with their teeth. If we just had more time to share this with you these are the things we would say.