Demonstrating Fluoride Therapy Using Fluoride Gel for Paediatrics during Dental Assessment Exams by @alendomaster

Source

Hi Blurtians, hopefully everything is going smoothly and well. Would like to present to you how to put forward a fluoride gel therapy for Paediatrics during Dental Assessment Exams. So stay tuned.

1- Introduction matters most to the examiner and the patient.
E.g;
Good morning sir/ma. My name is xyz. I want to demonstrate fluoride therapy application using fluoride gel.

Second in introduction is to greet the patient and the parent or guardian

I will first greet the patient or guardian, explain the procedure clearly to them, then take consent from each one of them.

2- Listing the armamentarium needed for the procedure.

I will need face mask, gloves, fluoride gel (1.2% APF), styrofoam tray, suction tip, gauze and cotton wools, timer and other necessary equipment.

3- Last but not least, listing the required steps in appropriately without omissions or misalignment.

The verbal demonstration will be as follows:

First of, the patient should be seated on the dental chair in an upright position. I will then clean off food particles and debris with a water jet and also asking the patient to rinse the mouth properly.

Furthermore, I will dry the teeth with gauze/cotton wool/airjet so as to achieve a dry operating site and for effective fluoride therapy.

I will ask the dental assistant to pour the fluoride gel on to the styrofoam tray, then I will sit the tray in the patient’s mouth and place a suction tip in between the upper and lower tray fulcrum to allow for removal of saliva during the procedure which could hinder the effectiveness of the treatment.

After about 4-5 minutes, I will evacuate the tray from the patient’s mouth, clean off any excess fluoride gel if present and then give post operative instructions and maintenance of good follow up.

The post operative instructions is to inform the patient as follows:
Avoid drinking or rinsing of the mouth for the next 30 minutes and not eat for the next 1 hour in order to achieve an effective treatment and for good penetration of the fluoride ions into the dental hard tissues.

Moreso, swallowing of the gel mixed saliva should be avoided by the patient.

In conclusion, a follow up appointment should be made in order to check for the efficacy of the therapy.
Reference