Plaque management – an innovative solution

shutterstock_374285440-(1)With the dental team more focused than ever on communicating effectively with patients to influence their commitment to daily prevention, Johnson & Johnson considers how best to approach the issue of plaque management. Brought to you by Johnson & Johnson Ltd.

Plaque is a major cause of gum disease1 and according to the group B consensus report of the fifth European Workshop in Periodontology, ‘Currently oral plaque biofilm disruption is the most effective way to treat and prevent both conditions [gingivitis and periodontitis]’.2

Figures indicate that 83% of dentate adults show some evidence of gum disease (that is bleeding, calculus, periodontal pocketing of 4mm or more).3

In addition, statistics suggest that there is an unmet need when it comes to plaque management in children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with 40% of 15-year-olds affected by the early stages of gum disease.4

All of this strongly suggests that effective plaque management remains a significant issue for the dental team and patients alike.

Communication is key

Talking to patients about why gum disease occurs and the potential health risks, as well as recommending clinically-proven products for use at home, should help to maintain healthy gums when combined with care from a registered dental team member. However, although brushing and flossing/interdental cleaning are pivotal to oral hygiene, bacteria from other areas of the mouth can recolonise on teeth quickly.5

On this issue Albertsson et al (2010) wrote: ‘In several individuals, the level of oral hygiene is still insufficient at many sites in order to provide good plaque control consistent with oral health. During the last years, there has been a reemerged interest in the use of mouthrinses for chemical plaque control as [an] adjunct to daily mechanical plaque control.’6

Thus, this is where a third home-care step comes into its own. The hydrodynamic ability of a mouthwash allows it to reach all five exposed tooth surfaces, so for most patients it is a logical adjunct to a daily prevention regime that offers protection for dental hard tissue and kills plaque bacteria.7

Help is at hand

In line with this, Listerine Advanced Defence Gum Treatment is clinically proven to interrupt the plaque colonisation process.8 It’s formulated with unique LAE (Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate) technology that forms a physical coating on the pellicle to prevent bacteria attaching, and so interrupts biofilm formation. When used after brushing it treats gum disease, as indicated by the reduction of bleeding by 50.9% (p<0.001) in just four weeks.8

Advanced Defence Gum Treatment is part of the Listerine Advanced Defence range from Johnson & Johnson, a scientifically proven adjunct to your professional treatment.


For more information on Listerine Advanced Defence, please visit www.listerineprofessional.co.uk or call 0800 328 0750.

References

  1. Page RC, Kornman KS. The pathogenesis of human periodontitis: an introduction. Periodontology 2000 1997; 14: 9-11
  1. Kinane DF, Attstrom R J. Group B consensus report of the fifth European Workshop in Periodontology. J Clin Periodontol 2005; 32(Suppl 6): 130-1
  2. UK Adult Dental Health Survey 2009. The Health and Social Care Information Centre 2011
  3. Child Dental Health Survey 2013, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Health and Social Care Information Centre 2015
  4. Barnett ML. The rationale for the daily use of an antimicrobial mouthrinse. JADA 2006; 137: 16S-21S
  5. Albertsson KW et al. Effect of mouthrinses containing essential oils and alcohol-free chlorhexidine on human plaque acidogenicity. Clin Oral Invest 2010; 14: 107-112
  6. Sharma NC et al. Adjunctive benefit of an essential oil-containing mouthrinse in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients who brush and floss regularly: a six-month study. J Am Dent Assoc 2004; 135: 496-504
  7. Gallob JT et al. A randomized trial of ethyl lauroyl arginate-containing mouthrinse in the control of gingivitis. J Clin Periodontol 2015; 42: 740–747

UK/LI/15-5666

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