Many patients present with gingival bleeding and inflammation due to poor plaque control. Some patients lack the skill or motivation to perform daily hygiene effectively, while other patients may not be using the most effective home care products. Having observed significant improvement in my patients using stannous fluoride dentifrice, I was interested in seeing outcomes with the Pro-Health System for Gingivitis,* a regimen that includes an oscillating-rotating electric toothbrush with SmartGuide, a new stabilized stannous fluoride dentifrice, and a novel Oral-B Glide floss.
I recommended this regimen to nine medically-compromised patients with mild-to-moderate gingivitis, including gingival bleeding. These patients were normally on a 3 to 4 month recall. I asked them to use the regimen unsupervised at home for 2 months, brushing twice a day and flossing once per day, in place of their normal home care products.
I observed two important benefits with this regimen:
The patients demonstrated improvements in their gingival health, including less gingival bleeding, reduced inflammation of gingival tissues and less plaque. Not only were these positive changes noticeable to me, but also to my patients.
The regimen had excellent patient acceptance. Patients were eager to continue using the products after the two month period. Patients were enthusiastic about the electric toothbrush with the SmartGuide and they loved the flavor, texture and mouthfeel of the new stabilized stannous fluoride dentifrice.
I encourage dental professionals to try this regimen with their gingivitis patients and evaluate the results for themselves. For key clinical studies on these products, please see references listed below.
*Patients used the following products: Oral-B Professional Care SmartSeries 5000, Crest PRO-HEALTH Clinical Gum Protection Toothpaste and Oral-B Glide PRO-HEALTH Clinical Protection for Professionals Floss