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Capstone Presentation: Assessment, Nutritional Analysis, Dental Hygiene Diagnosis, Caries Risk
and Documentation
by
Kari Burdick
DHYG 341, 342, 412, 422, 432, 438 – Professional Practicum, Capstone, and Dental Hygiene
Spring 2019
May 8 , 2019
th
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 2
Assessments
coming into the Lake Washington Institute of Technology Dental Clinic, the patient was a
patient of record at a private practice in Bothell, WA. Her last dental visit was about 12 months
prior to her initial assessment. The patient’s chief complaint was that she wanted to have her
teeth cleaned, as she felt like there were a few areas that “hitched” on build-up when she flossed.
The patient has a medical history significant for diabetes, and previous high blood pressure. Both
the high blood pressure and diabetes are well controlled with diet, but the previous uncontrolled
condition directly has impacted her oral and periodontal health. Diabetes is linked closely with
hyperglycemia as seen with uncontrolled diabetes is one of the factors of systemic inflammatory
response, which includes the oral cavity (Southerland, Taylor, & Offenbacher, 2005). Not only
can the systemic disease predispose those with diabetes to periodontal disease, but the presence
of the oral infection can also contribute to the progression of the systemic disease.
The extra-oral exam was significant for generalized scattered macules, a larger 2x3 mm
macule at the angle of the chin on the right side, small 2x2 red erosion present near the left ear, a
3x3 purpura on the outer edge of the left ear, a small 2x2 bulla on the left side of the nose that
patient states bleeds if it is scratched, and a 2x2 mole on the left cheek near the upper lip. The
patient has not seen a dermatologist in the past, and we encouraged her to follow-up with a
dermatologist to have the findings followed regularly. A midsized submandibular lymph node
was palpated on the left, but patient has noticed this in the past and her medical doctor was not
concerned with it at the time. The intra-oral exam was significant for maxillary and mandibular
non-restrictive frenums, and slight leukoplakia on the buccal mucosa bilaterally opposite second
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 3
molars. The hard palate was vaulted, and slightly erythematous anterior pillars were noted.
Scarring is present on retromolar pads and maxillary tuberosities from third molar extractions.
Small lingual tori present on the right, with a moderately coated tongue. All findings appear
Although the patient has an established dental home, she states she dislikes the dentist
and is not generally regular in her recare appointments, going 12-18 months between recare
visits. The irregular periodontal therapy, in addition to the systemic conditions, have impacted
the oral health as seen in the radiographs and intra-oral photos with the gingival assessment. I
noted that the patient had generalized pink tissue with moderately erythematous band along the
buccal and lingual of #4-13, and generally slight erythema in the posterior of the maxilla and
throughout the mandible. The gingival margins were generally rolled with isolated moderate
rolling of the margin around #15, 18, and 19. The interdental papilla was generally bulbous with
isolated blunting present. The texture of the gingiva was stippled in the anterior and smooth in
the posterior with a generalized edematous consistency. Due to the patients clinically evident
recession, vertical bitewings were taken as part of the full mouth series of x-rays allowing
Tooth Chart
Patient presented with missing first premolars (numbers 5, 12, 21, and 28) extracted as a
teenager for orthodontic purposes. Third molars are also missing and patient reports having them
extracted about 9 years ago due to partial impaction and inaccessible decay on #2 that required
#1 to be extracted in order to restore. There are class I occlusal composite restorations on teeth
#’s 3, 15, 18, 19, 30, and 31. Tooth #2 is root canal treated and has a full porcelain crown with
the root canal access hole sealed with composite. There are class II composite restorations on
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 4
#13-DO and #14-MO. Marginal ridge discrepancies are noted on the distal of #4 and the distal
of #19. There is significant crowding as well as Class II malocclusion with 9mm overjet and
normal overbite. Distal rotations are noted on teeth #’s 6, 11, 22, 23, and 25. Mesial rotations are
noted on teeth 8, and 26. Teeth 7, 24, and 27 are in linguoversion, and 8, 25, and 26 are in
buccoversion.
Periodontal Chart
The periodontal chart was completed on 11/13/2018. Patient had generalized 2-4 mm
pocket depths with isolated 5 mm pocket depths on the interproximal surfaces between #30 and
31 lingual. Generalized recession of 1-2 mm found in the posterior and lingual of the lower
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 5
anterior. Isolated class I furcation is noted on the buccal of #18, 19, and 30. The width of
attached gingiva is less than 2 mm on the buccal of #18-20 and #29. Localized bleeding upon
probing throughout the maxilla and mandible, with more concentrated bleeding in the lower left
Radiographs
At the patient’s initial appointment on 7/16/2018 she stated she had a full mouth series of
x-rays at the previous dental office. At that time, it was decided to take a conservative approach
and take a periodontal series consisting of 4 vertical bitewings and 3 anterior bitewings. After
this appointment the previous office was contacted and informed me that she did not have any
current radiographs on file with them. At the patients next appointment on 11/13/2018 a full
mouth series was completed utilizing the vertical bitewings taken on 7/16/2018.
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 6
Dental Examination
The comprehensive dental examination with Dr. Lowell found no new concerns or watches. All
Recession
clinically evident
Nutritional Analysis
My patient was asked to complete a 7-day nutritional log enabling me to analyze and
assess her dietary risk factors for caries and other vitamin or mineral deficiencies (see Appendix
A for full food diary). The patient is very dedicated to logging her food as she utilizes dietary
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 9
control for management of diabetes and considers herself a “nutrient seeker.” She additionally
only logged food on 4 days of 7 requested. After questioning what she consumed on the other 3
days she explained that the other days were fasting days as she also follows an intermittent
fasting protocol.
recommends dietary guidelines based on age and gender. The MyPlate recommendations for this
patient consist of about 1,600 calories per day, made up by 10-35% protein, 45-65%
carbohydrates with about 22.4 grams of dietary fibers, and about 20-35% fat (health.gov).
However, due to the patient’s history of diabetes, we also consulted the American Diabetes
Association. According to the ADA dietary recommendations, a plate of food should consist of
25% protein, 25% grains and starchy foods, and 50% non-starchy vegetables (diabetes.org).
Based off this she is severely deficient in her consumption of carbohydrates, and consuming
excessive amounts of fats. However, there is evidence that the benefits of low-carbohydrate diets
are more beneficial for management of diabetes than consuming the recommended carbohydrate
amounts and using medications to reduce the blood glucose levels. There is also research that
suggests that there is no meaningful correlation between dietary fat intake and cardiovascular
In regard to micronutrients, the patient was deficient in all categories of vitamins and
minerals on 4 of the 7 days. I counseled the patient to focusing on a more consistent, nutrient
dense diet that will provide her will the minimum micronutrients each day as opposed to
consuming excessive amounts half of the time and being severely deficient the rest of the time.
The patient seemed receptive to this. Although she still plans to continue with intermittent
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 10
fasting, she will try to schedule the fasts between early evening and the morning to allow for
Through the dental hygiene diagnosis, it was determined that the largest contributing
factor to the patient’s periodontal disease is her history of type II diabetes mellitus. The patient
has been irregular with dental care throughout her life because she does not like going. She
stated she had a bad experience as an adolescent with extractions being done without anesthetic.
The patient seemed reluctant to come in for multiple appointments as she does not like dental
treatment but is committed to the process and is excited to be part of the capstone project.
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 11
The patient was increasingly motivated to improve oral health as the correlation between
systemic inflammation and oral inflammation was explained to the patient. During the initial
discussion the patient stated that she did not have periodontal disease, but as soon as she
understood the inflammatory factors involved with periodontal disease, she said “well then of
course I have it! Diabetes and inflammation go hand in hand.” Although this is a simplification
protein (hs-CRP) are associated with increased risk for CVD and diabetes mellitus” (Haffner,
2006, p. 3A)
She mentioned that her previous office has presented the possibility of doing isolated scaling and
root planing in some areas that were not improving. She declined at the time, not fully
understanding the need. With assistance of the radiographs and periodontal charting we were
able to show the patient the levels of horizontal bone loss accompanied with the areas of 4-5 mm
pocket depths and bleeding with probing. This helped explain the status of the patient’s
periodontal disease. The patient stated that she does not use fluoride products but does use a
natural toothpaste containing xylitol. She does drink tap water that is fluoridated. As the patient
has no current restorative needs and she consumes adequate amounts of fluoridated tap water, I
had no recommendations at this time aside from considering a fluoridated toothpaste when she is
done with the current tube she is using. My primary goal in treating this patient was to not only
remove the calculus acting as a nidus for harmful bacteria, but also to help the patient value her
homecare routine in managing her oral health and reducing her levels of inflammation. The first
step in addressing these goals is to complete full mouth scaling and root planing. Accompanied
with oral hygiene demonstrations and instructions on brushing and flossing techniques. At the
time of the tissue re-evaluation I will assess to see if any further aid can be added to her
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 12
homecare routine and ensure there is no residual calculus possibly causing gingival irritation. I
will use an updated periodontal chart and gingival description to evaluate pocket depths and
The patient has a low cariogenic intake in her diet, as she follows a ketogenic lifestyle to manage
her diabetes and high blood pressure. Other than coffee, the patient only consumes water or
occasional electrolyte drinks sweetened with stevia. The patient has low caries risk due to the
lack of fermentable carbohydrates or sweets in the diet and lack of acidic drink intake. The
patient does occasionally consume carbonated water- either Perrier or La Croix, which has a
lower pH of about 5.25 as opposed to still water that has a pH ranging from 6.0-7.0 (Reddy,
Norris, & Momeni et al. 2016). Beverages with a pH of 4.0 or higher are considered to be
minimally erosive. The patient states that she is opposed to fluoride, but she does drink
fluoridated tap water, uses toothpastes with xylitol and chews Spry gum, which also contains
xylitol.
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 14
Risk Assessment
The risk assessment summarizes the status of the patient’s oral health as well as the hard
tissue and soft tissue risk factors. The only significant health history finding was a history of
endocrine dysfunction as evident by her diabetes mellitus. Clinically evident in the hard tissues
was attrition, and misaligned teeth. Based on her habits, she is at an increased risk for caries due
to her infrequent flossing and lack of belief in fluoride. Clinically evident in the soft tissues is
gingival recession and periodontal disease; which is unsurprising due to the direct relationship
between periodontitis and type II diabetes mellitus. Chronic hyperglycemia is associated with
increased severity of periodontal disease (Sanz, & Ceriello et al. 2018). She is not a risk for other
soft tissue concerns. She has a history of anxiety and fear of dental treatment, although she feels
it is low in regard to cleanings. When she was younger, she had extraction of her first premolars
to alleviate crowding and it was done without any anesthesia. This has left her with a low level
of anxiety associated with all dentists. The patient stated that she does notice bad breath
occasionally. She stated she drinks bottled electrolyte water, filtered water, along with tap water
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 15
that is fluoridated, but she is opposed to additional fluoride supplementation. The patient did not
have a specific explanation for her opposition to fluoride besides she didn’t feel she needed it.
She feels like she has medium levels of stress load with low levels of exercise. She did smoke
when in college but that was over 33 years ago. She follows a ketogenic/low carbohydrate diet.
However, on occasion she consumes carbs in the form of sweet potatoes or gluten-free bread.
The patient’s intra-oral and extra-oral exams were within normal limits. She has no
unrestored or active caries but does have a history of composite restorations and crowns. The
periodontium was significant for low-moderate levels of plaque, calculus, bleeding upon
probing, clinical attachment loss, and isolated furcation involvement. The patient currently uses a
soft manual tooth brush 1-2 time a day and flosses 2-3 time per week. She thinks her toothpaste
is a natural fluoride-free formulation by Tom’s of Maine and does not use any mouth rinses. The
plaque index showed a score of 36%, primarily in the anterior around the cervical margin and
around the crowding of the lower anterior, along with interproximal line angles in the posterior.
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 16
Planning
The plan for treatment included 4 quadrants of isolated scaling and root planing, D4342
(1-3 teeth per quadrant) as the patient has some radiographic horizontal boneless, class I
furcation involvement, and isolated recession that designates the patient as an AAP III. Although
she is an AAP III, she does not have more than 3 teeth per quadrant that are showing signs of
chronic, active infection as seen with deeper pocket depths or heavy bleeding. This treatment
was scheduled to be completed in 2 appointments, as the patient had heavier calculus on the
mandible and would benefit from local anesthetic on the mandibular quadrants. The goal is to
reduce the inflammation and erythema of the gingiva. I would like to see a reduction in gingival
bleeding as it is one of the most prevalent indicators of periodontal disease (Petersen & Ogawa,
2012). Each appointment will include subgingival chlorohexidine irrigation, and homecare
technique review with education on the importance of flossing. I will also continue to educate
her on the increased risk factors for oral inflammation due to her diabetes. The patient currently
uses floss picks when she does floss. We will review flossing with traditional waxed floss using
the “C” shape technique to encourage more effective and frequent use of floss at home. At the
time of the tissue re-evaluation I will assess the need for additional therapeutic interventions such
as Arestin.
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 17
Implementation
In the implementation phase the patient was seen a total of 3 times. The sequence of
appointments was as follows: lower right quadrant scaling and root planing, upper right and left
scaling and root planing, and finally lower left scaling and root planing. The patient was initially
scheduled for a tissue re-evaluation at 4 weeks post scaling for half of the mouth, however due to
inclement weather conditions closing the clinic, she was not seen until about 7 weeks post
scaling of the upper and lower right quadrants. My proposed treatment plan included scaling
with local anesthetic, but the patient refused any form of anesthetic.
Each appointment consisted of scaling with the use of a Cavitron and Piezo ultrasonic
scalers to debride the quadrants. Following ultrasonic instrumentation each quadrant was hand
scaled with both universal and Gracey curettes, this is an important aspect of the treatment as
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 18
research has found that “Ultrasonic instruments are simple to use, but it is often difficult to
achieve smooth and calculus-free root surface,” (Dahiya, Kamal, Gupta, & Pandit, 2011, pg 1).
The hand instrumentation allowed me to properly adapt to the root concavities and areas with
bone loss. The patient tolerated the treatment well. However, I was initially a little tentative with
scaling as the subgingival calculus was quite deep. Which lead me to worry about causing pain
to the patient due to the refusal of anesthetic. I recommended she follow each scaling
appointment with warm salt water rinses to help soothe any tissue discomfort post scaling.
Evaluation
The tissue re-evaluation involved the upper right and lower right quadrants. I assessed for
changes to the tissue as evident in the gingival description and updated periodontal charting to
gingival description findings revealed decreased marginal erythema and edema. The periodontal
charting showed multiple areas of reduced pocket depth, with all previous 5 mm depths reducing
by 1-2 mm. Multiple 4 mm pockets remained in the posterior of both quadrants. So, I stressed the
need for regular flossing to help further reduce the depth of these pockets. A decrease in the
sites of bleeding upon probing was noted as well. As there were no periodontal pockets of 5 mm
or deeper, further interventions such as Arestin were not indicated. An updated plaque index was
done on the right side to see if there were improvements on her homecare and plaque control.
The plaque index score was 20.3% (see image below), showing improved brushing around the
gingival margins and line angles of the posterior teeth. The areas still needing improvement of
plaque control were mainly in the anterior, on the mandible where there is crowding and
rotations of the teeth, making it a little more difficult to access with a toothbrush. Also, the
lingual of the maxillary incisors have deep fossae causing more plaque retention. We reviewed
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 19
where to rotate the brush head at different angles allowing access to the areas being missed.
Then, I had the patient demonstrate to me with use of a handheld mirror until all of the visible
plaque was removed. In addition to these assessments, I explored the areas thoroughly for
calculus that may have built-up since the initial therapy was completed. I used the Piezo
ultrasonic scaler to aid in the removal of residual deposits as well as disrupt unattached
subgingival plaque and biofilm. I explained the benefits of this to the patient as research has
shown that “removal of subgingival microbial biofilms is essential for controlling inflammatory
periodontal disease” (Arabaci, Çiçek, & Çanakçi, 2007). Following this I fine scaled with
universal curettes and sickle scalers. The appointment was concluded with polishing and flossing
the two quadrants. I commended the patient for the improvements noted at the re-evaluation
efforts to prevent any further destruction of the periodontium due to inflammation or bacteria.
Reflective Conclusion
Combined theory acquired from the health science classes in addition to dental hygiene
classes enabled me to provide comprehensive treatment for this patient. The knowledge of
metabolic diseases like diabetes and inflammation from pre-requisites allowed for me to really
hone in on the oral implications for my patient. We also gained value of the purpose for
periodontal therapies through our dental hygiene theory and periodontology classes. In addition,
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 20
I was able to see a growth in my instrumentation skills from the first scaling appointment to the
last scaling appointment due to advanced instrumentation skill labs and constructive feedback
from instructors received at each appointment. The capstone project was a great way to ensure
we are incorporating easily overlooked aspects of patient care. I have felt more comfortable
discussing nutritional counseling with patients as a result of this project, as well as delving
deeper into caries risk assessments for patients with a significant history of decay. I felt I was
very successful in showing the value of the treatment provided to my patient, as she was initially
hesitant, or skeptical of the necessity of non-surgical periodontal therapy. However, once she
understood the role that inflammation played in periodontal disease, she was very eager to
proceed with treatment. I have also noted areas that I need to improve, primarily in
instrumentation around the distal of all canines, as I noted rough areas were left here. I also could
improve on my time management as I generally left “extra” procedures like impressions and
photos for the end of the appointments and as a result frequently ran out of time for these.
Documentation
Thorough chart notes were kept throughout the care of this patient. I made a point of
always reviewing the chart notes from previous visits prior to seating the patient, which allowed
for me to be familiar with the previous concerns and discussions, but also assess accurately for
any changes in the gingival condition at each appointment. Reviewing previous notes also
enabled me to ensure that the planned services were in line with the treatment plan. The areas of
documentation that were not done as thoroughly, were the post-op photos and impressions. I
believe using before/after photos are a great motivational factor for patients and would have
liked to have been able to show the patient the improvement in inflammation and erythema. The
post-op impressions would have also helped demonstrate the improvements of the contour of the
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 21
gingival margins and papilla to the patient. Despite these areas that I could have improved on, I
believe by use of a paper chart audit throughout the course of treatment I was able to maintain
REFERENCES:
Arabaci, T., Çiçek, Y., Canakci, C.F. (2007). Sonic and ultrasonic scalers in periodontal
treatment: a review. International Journal of Dental Hygiene vol. 5, issue 1, pages 2-12.
meals/create-your-plate/?loc=ff-slabnav
Dahiya, P., Kamal, R., Gupta, R., & Pandit, N. (2011). Comparative evaluation of hand and
237X.83065
https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/resources/2015-2020_Dietary_Guidelines.pdf
Feinman, R., Pogozelski, W., Astrup, A., Bernstein R., Fine, E.,
Westman E., … Worm, N. (2015) Dietary carbohydrate restriction as the first approach in
diabetes management: Critical review and evidence base Nutrition vol. 32, issue 1, pages
S0899900714003323-main.pdf?_tid=603d8412-8f2a-4e12-ad5e-
e6eb308722af&acdnat=1550545448_c0910d034061661a43c7673c2f9a7ad0
Haffner, S.M. (2006) The metabolic syndrome: Inflammation, diabetes mellitus, and
cardiovascular disease. The American Journal of Cardiology, V.97, Issue 2, pages 3-11.
Moment, S., Norris, D., Reddy, A., Ruby, J., Waldo, B. (2016) The pH of beverages in the
https://www.ada.org/en/~/media/ADA/Public%20Programs/Files/JADA_The%20pH%20
of%20beverages%20in%20the%20United%20States
Offenbacher, S., Southerland, J.H., Taylor, G. (2005) Diabetes and periodontal infection: Making
https://doi.org/10.2337/diaclin.23.4.171
Peterson, P., Ogawa, H. (2012) The global burden of periodontal disease: towards integration
with chronic disease prevention and control. Periodontology 2000 vol 60, issue 1, pages
Sanz, M., Ceriello, A., Buysschaert, M., Chapple, I., Demmer, R., Graziani, F., … Vegh, D.
(2018) Scientific evidence on the links between periodontal diseases and diabetes:
Consensus report and guidelines of the joint workshop on periodontal diseases and
Periodontology. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice vol. 137, pages 231-241.
APPENDIX A
LAKE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Health Sciences Division
DHYG 342 – Dental Hygiene Practice IV
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 25
Snack
Snack
Lunch
Rib eye 125 grams grilled
Chicken thigh 175 grams broiled
Snack
Dinner
Snack
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 26
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 27
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 29
Snack
Dinner
Snack
All food was prepped in the morning and eaten at each meal.
CAPSTONE PRESENTATION 30
Snack
Dinner
Snack