2026-01-05 – Weekly Dentist News : Why caries glow red at 405 nm

Last week, our forum saw engaging discussions on various practical aspects of dental practice. Members shared their experiences and insights on the technical reasons behind caries detection under specific light wavelengths and debated the effectiveness of two-step patient confirmations. There was also a focus on enhancing patient interactions through technology, with various intraoral cameras being compared for their efficacy in patient communication. Additionally, the community delved into clinical practices, such as steroid dosing for third molar swelling and protocols for oral lesion biopsies.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Why caries glow red under 405 nm
A technical exploration into the science of caries detection using specific light wavelengths. This discussion is a must-read for those interested in dental diagnostics.
Read more here

Nervous about your next cleaning
An empathetic thread addressing common anxieties patients face before dental cleanings, offering tips for making the experience smoother.
Read more here

Two-step confirmations: helpful or overkill
This conversation weighs the pros and cons of implementing two-step confirmations in dental practice, aiming to enhance patient attendance without adding unnecessary complexity.
Read more here

Best intraoral camera for patient buy-in
Explore the latest discussions on which intraoral cameras are most effective in improving patient understanding and acceptance of treatment plans.
Read more here

Tools that fill last-minute gaps
A practical look at tools and strategies for managing unexpected schedule changes and keeping your practice running smoothly.
Read more here

Steroid dosing for third molar swelling
An important clinical discussion on the appropriate steroid dosages for managing swelling after third molar extractions.
Read more here

Practical CE on oral lesion biopsy protocols
This thread offers insights into continuing education opportunities focused on biopsy protocols for oral lesions, crucial for maintaining high standards in patient care.
Read more here

Accidental kazoo at denture try-in
A lighthearted yet informative discussion about unexpected challenges during denture try-ins and how to handle them with grace.
Read more here

Longest tooth root in your mouth
Members share their experiences and insights on dealing with exceptionally long tooth roots, a topic that mixes curiosity with clinical relevance.
Read more here


Thanks for staying engaged with the community. Looking forward to another week of sharing knowledge and experiences that help us all improve our practice.

3 Likes

Tried 405 nm during hygiene checks last month β€” if we dry thoroughly and turn off the op light, the β€œred isn’t always decay,” it’s often plaque; we also use orange glasses to cut glare. @MartaD we added a second SMS confirmation the morning of and it trimmed no-shows, but our older patients still prefer a quick call.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€‹β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹

I air-polish with glycine, then 405 nm β€” plaque red fades; caries persists. β€˜Two-step’ confirmations help, but some composites fluoresce too.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€‹β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€‹β β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ β€β€‹β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€‹β β€‹β€β€Œβ€β β β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€β β€Œβ€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹

Last week we used $5 aluminum chloride gel before violet checks; blood kills contrast, @Guide β€” but composites still glow.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€‹β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€‹β€β β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€β β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹