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Biomedical subjects

J D McDowell

Publications and source records attributed to J D McDowell.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Diagnosing and treating victims of domestic violence.

Domestic violence can be defined as any violent behavior directed against an individual within the home or family. Intrafamily violence occurs in all segments of society and is not limited to a single ethnic or socioeconomic group. Unless the assaults within the home are stopped, the violence tends to escalate and become more serious, sometimes resulting in serious injury or death. Since the greater half of all non-accidental trauma occurs in the head and neck area, the dentist might be the first person to treat the domestic violence victim. Every member of the dental team must be aware of the incidence and prevalence of family violence and the serious sequelae associated with this dysfunctional behavior. Each member of the team can play an important role in the early recognition of non-accidental trauma. Once recognized, the intervention process can begin on behalf of the victim.

Adult

Treatment of oral and nonoral sources of halitosis in elderly patients.

The increasing number of older patients being seen in medical and dental offices in the industrialised world emphasises the need for a thorough understanding of the normal aging process. Additionally, close attention must be paid to the disease processes that affect this special needs population. Although there are many positive psychosocial issues associated with the aging patient, many diseases and disabilities associated with the aging process place an increased burden on the elderly patient. The relationship between general and oral health must be understood by the practitioner if therapies are to be effective. Although it is not the objective of this article to provide a comprehensive review of oral healthcare, an attempt will be made to provide general information on the diagnosis and treatment planning for oral malodours often associated with poor oral and/or systemic health. Every healthcare provider treating the elderly patient for oral malodours must recognise that there is potentially a direct relationship between the oral and systemic health of the patient. While most oral malodours have a simple cause, no single therapy is always effective. For best results, a team approach to diagnosing and treating oral malodours involves the dentist, physician, dietician and pharmacist. This multidisciplinary approach should be arranged before the onset of any complex therapy. When indicated, supportive, responsible family members should be additionally involved to assure patient compliance. The mouth and teeth can be a source of great pride and pleasure. A beautiful smile is one of the most pleasant greetings a human can offer. Enjoying a meal of fine food and drink is truly gratifying.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged

Diagnosing and treating halitosis.

Halitosis (bad breath) has been defined as offensive odors emitted from the mouth. Although bad breath is a common complaint, identifying the cause and developing an appropriate treatment plan can be difficult. A thorough examination must be performed to rule out an oral source.

Bacteria, Anaerobic

Tomography.

Conventional tomography is used in dentistry to demonstrate objects lying in a plane of interest distinct from their surrounding anatomic structures. Through technique parameters, which generate the controlled blurring of structures above and below the plane of interest, anatomic structures are visualized without the superimposition noted on other types of plain radiographs. In this article, the basic principles of tomography have been reviewed and the clinical applications for conventional tomography in dentistry have been described.

Humans

Death due to attack from chow dog.

It is estimated that between one and four million persons per year are bitten by dogs in the United States. While most injuries associated with the bites are minor, serious sequelae, and even death, may occur. Most victims of fatal dog attacks are children < 1 year of age or elderly women. The most frequent cause of death is hemorrhage and shock from major vessel damage. A case is reported in which an elderly woman was attacked by her pet Chow dog. The victim received multiple superficial abrasions, contusions, and lacerations from the dog attack. A large perforation of the right external pudendal vein and three perforations of the left superficial femoral vein resulted in exsanguination and death. Fractures of the left 2nd through 4th ribs with underlying pulmonary contusion were also found.

Aged

Recognizing and reporting victims of domestic violence.

Domestic violence can be defined as any violent behavior directed against an individual within the home or family. It occurs in all segments of society and is not limited to a single ethnic or socioeconomic group. Since most intentional injuries occur in the head and neck area, the dentist might be the first to treat the domestic violence victim.

Adult

Recognizing and reporting dental violence: a survey of dental practitioners.

A survey was sent to 1,000 Colorado dentists to evaluate their recognition and reporting of child, elder, and spouse abuse. Approximately 40% of the dentists returned the survey. In answering questions about suspected and reported cases of child abuse, 29% of the respondents indicated that they had suspected at least one of their patients to be a victim of child abuse, while 14% of the respondents had actually reported at least one case. Only 7% of the responding dentists had ever suspected a case of elder abuse, while just over 1% indicated that they had reported at least one suspected elder abuse case to authorities. When asked about their recognition and reporting of spouse abuse, 30% of the responding practitioners had suspected at least one case, while only 3% had ever actually reported a case to authorities. The overwhelming majority of responding dentists indicated that they needed to know more about child, elder, and spouse abuse.

Adult