Snoring is primarily a social problem which for instance brings considerable pressure on someones conjugal relationship. Often treatment is demanded by the bedfellow. Patient as well as bedfellow needs to be involved in the treatment of the problem. In this study, twenty-three habitual snorers and their bedfellows completed a questionnaire concerning the effect of the treatment of snoring by a Herbst-activator before treatment and 3 and 6 months after treatment. Two-thirds of the patients and bedfellows were satisfied with the therapy results. The bedfellows exhibited an even more positive therapy effect than the patients.

It has been known for some time that tooth brushing can have unwanted effects on the gingiva and hard dental tissues. The aim of this study is to evaluate two factors that may be of influence on the incidence of gingival abrasion during tooth brushing. The first factor being the possible influence of feedback through oral sensory perception and the second the possible abrasive effects of dentifrice. From the sensory feedback experiment it became clear that a significantly greater number of abrasions occurred when the test subjects would brush their own teeth than when they would have their teeth brushed by a dental hygienist. From the dentifrice experiment it became clear that the use of dentifrice has no significant effect on the occurrence of gingival lesions.

The first Dutch Dental Hygiene School was opened in 1968. Educating dental hygiene professionals with preventive qualifications was a well-considered decision. From the beginning on, the Dutch Dental HygienistsAssociation has aimed at optimizing dental hygienists role in preventive oral health care. Current developments, such as the introduction of a new national health insurance system and the rearrangement of oral health care, require reflection on the position of dental hygienists. Prevention should remain the core business of the dental hygiene profession. However, preventive oral health care has lost its social priority. Therefore, a new campaign preventing development of both old and new oral health threats should be initiated. In the opinion of the Dutch Dental HygienistsAssociation, dental hygienists should be committed both to public and individual oral health prevention. The association pleads for the reinforcement of preventive oral health care for children and young adults, with a special focus on high-risk groups. Likewise, oral health care for elderly people should receive more attention.

Non-odontogenic cysts are rare.Today, only 2 of the 18 non-odontogenic cysts that were described in 1982 are still classified as such: the nasopalatine duct cyst and the nasolabial cyst. The others are now classified in other groups. In the general practice the nasopalatine duct cyst is mostly seen as a swelling of the palate, just behind the central incisors.The nasolabial cyst is more rare and can be characterized as a paranasal swelling.Treatment of both cysts consists of surgical removal by intraoral approach. It is advisable to refer all cases of suspected non-odontogenic cysts, with the exception of the mucosal antral cyst, to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in order to have the diagnosis confirmed.

A young woman presented a severe gingivitis that wouldnt respond to antibiotics prescribed by her general practitioner. Thorough clinical examination showed atypical gingival inflammation. In such unusual cases a careful anamnesis is essential in determining appropriate continued diagnostic procedures. Eventually, acute myeloid leukaemia was diagnosed. Since the diagnosis of gingival disease primarily lies with the dentist, it is important to be able to consider any unusual aspects of gingivitis within a dental office.

A girl with congenital hemifacial hypertrophy had been observed and treated by a multidisciplinary team for craniofacial disorders in an academic medical centre since birth. At the age of 8 she was treated on account of considerable facial asymmetry and multiple intraoral problems. The two-step surgery involved reduction of the maxilla and the zygoma, reduction of soft tissues, removal of the teeth on the affected side, correction of the alveolar ridges of the maxilla and the mandible and placement of oral implants. After a healing period of 4 months fixed partial dentures were constructed on the implants.

The Ivory Cross is the Dutch national association for preventive oral healthcare. The association has a long-established reputation in the field of promoting oral healthcare; not merely providing written patient information, but contributing actively in the field of education, in the media and in politics. Furthermore, the Ivory Cross encourages scientific research and governmental policy on public oral health.A survey of the Ivory Cross website is given.