Dental Hygiene and Bruxism - Assignment Example

Everything that I expected was organized despite the massive number of exhibitors at the said event. I came in early to register for free and got my materials after falling in line for five minutes. Some local attendees came from states such as California, Michigan, Oklahoma, and other areas. There were also international delegates who came from Asia such as Taiwanese, Japanese, and Filipinos.

The most exciting part of the event was viewing thousands of new products that greatly complement oral health care. There were different types of composite fillings, anesthesia swabs with flavors, probiotic mints, angled drills, and almost all kinds of products that can make life very convenient for a dentist and a dental assistant. The market for dental products is very competitive which is why more exhibitors present better versions of their products. Some presenters were very technical so the general audience found it unappealing. Many people just drop by different booths asking for product samples that they can take home with them.

Thousands of dentists came to attend the seminars which lectured on topics that dwelt on cutting-edge technology and innovations in dental medicine. In my case, I just looked at some products and found the very simple but functional and practical Bruxism guard.

Visual Appearance
When it comes to visual appearance, the product is just average. Average meaning that the product was not designed to be fancy since it’s supposed to be simply functional. I browsed over some bruxism products which more or less look similar. The main difference lies in the fact that this product can be customized to fit the patient’s bite. Most bruxism products usually come as one size fits all with a nice case. In this case, the product can be trimmed according to the exact dimensions of the teeth after it has been heated for a few minutes. It looks very plain since the company manufactured it for professional use, unlike other off-the-rack bruxism guards.

Communication Skills of Presenters

Since I was interested in the product, I listened well to the presenters. Two people were responsible for the presentation – a dentist and a salesperson. First, the presenters discussed bruxism which was explained in layman’s language so the general audience can easily understand the condition, symptoms, and consequences. The salesperson cited some disadvantages of bruxism such as jaw pain or tightness, headache, facial pain, and possible wearing out of tooth enamel. The listeners were very interested since the product has very

practical applications, easy to mold, and convenient to use as compared to other commercial mouthguards for bruxism.
After the mini-lecture, a demonstration followed showing how the product can be easily prepared using a microwave oven, a water bath, or even an open flame. After the demonstration, some people asked a couple of questions such as pricing, availability, safety, etc. The presenters politely and cheerfully responded which made the presentation even more pleasant. I believe that the presenter’s communication skills have a lot to do with influencing the audience coupled with very interesting features of the product.
Depth of knowledge of the topic presented

As previously mentioned, the presentation began with a mini-lecture about bruxism. Slides were shown to introduce the condition of Bruxism to the audience. The audience was a heterogeneous mix so the presenters tried to achieve a balance between making it easy to understand yet enough to substantiate the merits of the product. Some literature showing the consequences of bruxism if not immediately attended was also detailed. Graphic pictures showing worn-out teeth caused by bruxism were complemented by a brief discussion about Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ). It was emphasized in the lecture that most cases of Bruxism happened at night and to people who are stressed out. Looking at the whole presentation, the topic was designed for a marketing presentation which just adequately encapsulated the main benefits of the product. Also, the presenters are aware that the majority of the listeners are dental professionals so an in-depth discussion may not be really necessary.

Dental Hygiene and Bruxism
As we all know, Bruxism can cause damage to the teeth due to continuous grinding resulting in cracked teeth. Patients with cracked teeth are usually sensitive to hot or cold drinks and complain of painful sensations. This makes dental hygiene a little bit more complicated since the teeth need special toothpaste such as Sensodyne to reduce the sensitivity. People who ignore their teeth’s worsening condition would eventually end up having a tooth extraction or pay for thousands of bills just to restore their teeth. As for dental hygienists, extra care must be exercised to perform prophylaxis for patients with damaged teeth.

Most people who have bruxism have cracked teeth which can either be superficial or deep. Once the cracked tooth has permeated the crown, the result would be a root canal treatment or even extraction. Briefly, bruxism should be avoided or controlled using a bruxism guard so that proper oral healthcare can be maintained at a lesser cost. Most importantly, people would not experience complications in oral hygiene and avoid experiencing pain. Read More