Earlier this year, over 2,500 dental professionals from across Europe joined the #Colgatetalks Econference. They heard how whole mouth health can help patients take prevention in oral care to the next level.
The persistent high prevalence of oral diseases clearly demonstrates the need for more effective approaches to routine oral care. The #Colgatetalks Econference brought together distinguished experts from across Europe. Moreover they discussed how a more effective approach to everyday prevention of oral diseases is achieved by the adoption of a whole mouth health approach.
Effective oral care
Professor Egija Zaura, professor in oral microbial ecology at the Department of Preventive Dentistry at the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), the Netherlands, presented the 21st century understanding of the mouth as a dynamic ecosystem. Permanently exposed to environmental and behavioural challenges, this ecosystem needs proactive care. This therefore means all patients, including those without obvious signs of disease, benefit from guidance and support from the dental team.
In addition to the day-to-day challenges for the ecosystem, there is also a demographic shift. This was presented by Professor Paul Brocklehurst, director of the Trials Unit at North Wales Organisation for Randomised Trials in Health (NWORTH CTU). The population is ageing at the same time that increasing numbers of people are retaining their natural teeth. Consequently, there is a need to focus on care, not cure. Prevention is paramount across all life stages and for all types of patients. Progressive health systems can help support this change.
But what should modern prevention look like? Dr Alex Mira, oral microbiome researcher at the Centro Superior de Investigación en Salud Pública (CSISP), Valencia, Spain, demonstrates the importance of the biofilm and how the understanding of prevention has changed from eliminating the biofilm to modulating it or managing a ‘healthy biofilm’. Supporting the body’s natural defences can help overcome oral challenges and prevent caries and periodontal diseases. Indeed, these are the two most common oral diseases.
Whole mouth health
Finally, Dr Barbara Egger and Dr Tilo Poth, senior researchers at Colgate-Palmolive, show how dental professionals can support patients to achieve and maintain whole mouth health by recommending next-generation technology. They present how new Colgate Total proactively protects all surfaces of the mouth. And how it works with the natural chemistry and biology of the mouth to control biofilms.
Please visit www.colgatetalks.com/econference to view the Econference sessions.
Click here to view the Econference summary handout.
