LETTERS TO THE JOURNAL THE JOURNAL devotes this section to comment by readers on topics of current interest to dentistry. The managing editor reserves the right to edit all communications to fit available space and requires that all letters be signed. Printed communications do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official policy of the Association. Your participation in this section Is invited.
learn CPR beyond the skill level taught in Citizen Heart Saver courses. The dental practitioner should test his skills on a recording manikin that will accurately record any improper tech niques. The dentist should be trained . . . in two-person as well as one-person rescue techniques. Finally, the practitioner should give careful thought to the type of equip ment needed in a dental office to sup plement correct CPR techniques. . . . MU RRY H E L F M A N , DDS ROCHESTER, NY
Erosion rebuttal m This is in response to Dr. Albert Davidau’s letter in the December issue of The Journal. If a dentifrice used in regular daily brushing is believed to be abrasive enough to cause destruction of enamel, dentin, acrylic, and vinyl, then it cannot, at the same time and under exactly the same conditions, be fine enough to impart a high surface luster to an amalgam filling while the filling stands like a raised island sur rounded by erosion. Brushing with a dry brush can cause painful ulcers of the gingiva. The ul cers disappear when this practice is discontinued. If the purpose of brush ing hypersensitive dentin with dry bristles is to burnish the dentin, a bet ter result can be achieved by burnish ing with a plain wood toothpick sev eral times a day. A R N O L D E H R L IC H , DD S FORE ST HILLS, NY
Getting back on the track m Dental technicians may very well be able to do the mechanical tasks as well as dentists in some areas. But do they understand the causes of disease, or the histology of the tissues with which they wish to work, or the psychology of dealing with patients, and so forth? There is a major difference between education and training, as there is be tween a trade and a profession. . . . The dentist must get back to basics—education and philosophy. The laws must begin to reflect this
basic thinking and expand the auxilia ry’s functions so that dentists can be come doctors again. We have become a trade—the “ denturist” attack is making this clear. Decisions to defeat auxiliary utilization because some dentists are not busy are like not per mitting electric lights because it would put the candlemakers out of b u siness.. . . It is about time we begin pulling together to get the profession back on the track before the tracks are gone. . . If we don’t hurry, the government w on't have a profession to regulate. W ILLIA M G. HOUSL EY, DD S NO RW AY, ME
Exposure to nitrous oxide m A figure was omitted in the manu script for “ Control of occupational exposure to nitrous oxide in the dental operatory” (The Journal, October 1977). In the last paragraph of the boxed insert on page 765, ninth line from the end, the following should be inserted after 16%: and 5.9%. I believe the critical reader would have noted this omission. C H A R LE S W H IT C H E R , MD S T A N F O R D , CA L IF
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation ■ As a cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructor . . . and a medical emergen cies course directo r. . . I would like to add a few comments to the article about C PR in The Journal for November 1977. Each dentist should be motivated to
Oral cancer bulletin ■ The May-June 1977 issue of The Cancer Bulletin, prepared by the Uni versity of Texas Dental Branch in con junction with M. D. Anderson Hospi tal and Tumor Institute, is entirely de voted to dental oncology. Members of the joint staffs describe the methods of cancer education, research, detection, prevention, treatment, and rehabilita tion currently used in these institu tions. OSCA R M A L D O N A D O , DDS H OUS T O N , TEX
Note: Abstracts o f several o f these ar ticles will appear in future issues o f Dental Abstracts and Oral Research Abstracts, subscription publications o f the American Dental Association.
Tooth sensitivity ■ Tooth hypersensitivity (The Jour nal, Nov 1977) is a frustrating problem for the practitioner as well as one of the least understood in terms of etiol ogy. So often our efforts have been to relieve or treat the symptom of pain without discovering and preventing the cause. . . . Hypersensitivity is caused by mechanical factors related to the pa tient’s oral hygiene habits: type and texture of toothbrush; frequency of brushing; force exerted; brushing in a favorite area; pattern of brushing mo tion; type of toothpaste; amount of toothpaste; and position of the tooth in the arch. These factors bring about hypersensitivity at the cervical area pf JADA, Vol. 96, February 1978 ■ 189
learn CPR beyond the skill level taught in Citizen Heart Saver courses. The dental practitioner should test his skills on a recording manikin that will accurately record any improper tech niques. The dentist should be trained . . . in two-person as well as one-person rescue techniques. Finally, the practitioner should give careful thought to the type of equip ment needed in a dental office to sup plement correct CPR techniques. . . . MU RRY H E L F M A N , DDS ROCHESTER, NY
Erosion rebuttal m This is in response to Dr. Albert Davidau’s letter in the December issue of The Journal. If a dentifrice used in regular daily brushing is believed to be abrasive enough to cause destruction of enamel, dentin, acrylic, and vinyl, then it cannot, at the same time and under exactly the same conditions, be fine enough to impart a high surface luster to an amalgam filling while the filling stands like a raised island sur rounded by erosion. Brushing with a dry brush can cause painful ulcers of the gingiva. The ul cers disappear when this practice is discontinued. If the purpose of brush ing hypersensitive dentin with dry bristles is to burnish the dentin, a bet ter result can be achieved by burnish ing with a plain wood toothpick sev eral times a day. A R N O L D E H R L IC H , DD S FORE ST HILLS, NY
Getting back on the track m Dental technicians may very well be able to do the mechanical tasks as well as dentists in some areas. But do they understand the causes of disease, or the histology of the tissues with which they wish to work, or the psychology of dealing with patients, and so forth? There is a major difference between education and training, as there is be tween a trade and a profession. . . . The dentist must get back to basics—education and philosophy. The laws must begin to reflect this
basic thinking and expand the auxilia ry’s functions so that dentists can be come doctors again. We have become a trade—the “ denturist” attack is making this clear. Decisions to defeat auxiliary utilization because some dentists are not busy are like not per mitting electric lights because it would put the candlemakers out of b u siness.. . . It is about time we begin pulling together to get the profession back on the track before the tracks are gone. . . If we don’t hurry, the government w on't have a profession to regulate. W ILLIA M G. HOUSL EY, DD S NO RW AY, ME
Exposure to nitrous oxide m A figure was omitted in the manu script for “ Control of occupational exposure to nitrous oxide in the dental operatory” (The Journal, October 1977). In the last paragraph of the boxed insert on page 765, ninth line from the end, the following should be inserted after 16%: and 5.9%. I believe the critical reader would have noted this omission. C H A R LE S W H IT C H E R , MD S T A N F O R D , CA L IF
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation ■ As a cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructor . . . and a medical emergen cies course directo r. . . I would like to add a few comments to the article about C PR in The Journal for November 1977. Each dentist should be motivated to
Oral cancer bulletin ■ The May-June 1977 issue of The Cancer Bulletin, prepared by the Uni versity of Texas Dental Branch in con junction with M. D. Anderson Hospi tal and Tumor Institute, is entirely de voted to dental oncology. Members of the joint staffs describe the methods of cancer education, research, detection, prevention, treatment, and rehabilita tion currently used in these institu tions. OSCA R M A L D O N A D O , DDS H OUS T O N , TEX
Note: Abstracts o f several o f these ar ticles will appear in future issues o f Dental Abstracts and Oral Research Abstracts, subscription publications o f the American Dental Association.
Tooth sensitivity ■ Tooth hypersensitivity (The Jour nal, Nov 1977) is a frustrating problem for the practitioner as well as one of the least understood in terms of etiol ogy. So often our efforts have been to relieve or treat the symptom of pain without discovering and preventing the cause. . . . Hypersensitivity is caused by mechanical factors related to the pa tient’s oral hygiene habits: type and texture of toothbrush; frequency of brushing; force exerted; brushing in a favorite area; pattern of brushing mo tion; type of toothpaste; amount of toothpaste; and position of the tooth in the arch. These factors bring about hypersensitivity at the cervical area pf JADA, Vol. 96, February 1978 ■ 189
