Modern prophylaxis concepts - key factor in ensuring oral and general health

Oral prophylaxis has met great success. The number of tooth extractions has been decreasing for years: according to the Statistical Yearbook of the Kassenzahnärztliche Bundesvereinigung KZBV (German Association of Statutory Health Insurance Dentists), in 2012, there were just under 13 million, as opposed to 16.2 million, ten years earlier. Also, the drill has had to be used less often: in the same period, the number of fillings sank from 84.4 million to 52.5 million. Along with tooth decay prophylaxis, the prevention and treatment of periodontitis are becoming more important, given that, due to demographic developments, cases of periodontal diseases are increasing. Within these fields, the modern prophylaxis-orientated dental practice provides significant protection from dental diseases, as well as general illnesses. Timely prevention among patients of all ages ensures all their teeth permanently remain healthy, and they are lastingly in good oral and general health.

For years, the dental industry has been supporting this trend: dentists and dental hygienists will provide you with an ever increasing range of tools and aids for professional oral hygiene. Another main focus of the dental industry is the methodical further development of in-house prophylaxes, so that patients of all ages can look after their teeth and mouth, regularly, correctly and in a targeted way – efficiently supported by professional advice from competent dentists and support from committed prophylaxis teams.

With their commitment, for years, the dental industry has been promoting intensive research into oral diseases, as well as the development of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in close cooperation with science. However, modern preventive concepts by no means focus on regular professional dental hygiene (PZR) at dental practices alone, but also enable an effective dental hygienic aftercare after prosthetic, implant or endodontic treatment. These days, the entire range of professional prophylactic measures can be used by dentists, dental assistants, prophylaxis assistants and dental hygienists for successfully specialising, and adding to their catalogue of services. This group of people are particularly recommended to benefit from the wealth of information on offer at the 36th IDS in Cologne, Germany, from 10.03. to 14.03.2015 on the theme of prophylaxis.

Diverse aids and tools provide effective in-house biofilm management

Regular and correctly-performed plaque control at home is central to every prophylactic concept. This is why the dental industry provides a variety of functional and ergonomic dental hygiene aids and tools, as well as other oral care measures. These include ergonomic toothbrushes, as well as the particularly effective electric toothbrushes, the latter optionally with an oscillating-rotating, sonic, or ultrasonic action. With their specially optimised snap-on brush heads, they fulfil the individual needs of users, and – depending on their construction – they are especially suitable for children, adults, the elderly, or people with disabilities.

The different toothbrushes are complemented by sophisticated toothpaste formulations. Thanks to their scientifically sophisticated composition, they create favourable conditions for the daily prophylaxis of individuals in every age and patient group. Antibacterial mouthwashes are a welcome addition to the combination of toothpaste and the (electric) toothbrush, which also play an important role in in-house prophylaxis. They are complemented by special interdental brushing systems, floss, toothpicks and many other products, all of which will be featured at the IDS 2015.

Better health due to professional prophylaxis and diagnostics

For the prevention of oral diseases, the work of committed and prevention-orientated specialised dental teams is indispensable. Only professional preventive measures at the dental practice effectively control tooth decay, gingivitis and other oral diseases. In particular, patients with an increased risk of tooth decay or periodontitis, with insufficient oral hygiene, or many dental restorations benefit from many new and further developments in diagnostics and therapy: these days, classic curettes and scalers are are being effectively supplemented by modern air polishing units with atraumatic powders, which are particularly suitable for the reduction of subgingival biofilms. Moreover, preventive plaque-reducing measures can decisively increase the likelihood of successful outcomes during orthodontic treatment or minimally-invasive oral surgery and during aftercare of implant treatment or other dental measures.

On the whole, age-appropriate personalised prophylaxis concepts help support oral and general health. Here, the communication with the patient on the basis of professional consultations plays an important role, in order to effectively strengthen their motivation to undergo prophylaxis and recall. Modern individualised concepts also take the genetic risk factors into consideration as well as the nutritional situation or the lifestyle of the patient – for example in the context of obesity and periodontitis. In these fields, science and the dental industry provide practitioners with helpful ideas and offers of further training.

These days sophisticated diagnostic methods are available for dental prophylaxes. Along with traditional procedures, modern imaging systems such as high-resolution intraoral cameras, camera-supported fluorescence methods, volume tomography or computer tomography have also proven their worth. In addition, specialised manufacturers provide moleculobiological and biochemical diagnostics systems, which can be used to record the spectra of pathogens relevant in certain oral diseases and to analyse a patient's individual risks.

The success of prophylaxis is a professional team effort under the direction of the dentist

Patients, too, increasingly understand this: oral health and general health are inextricably linked. Thus, there is growing interest in the long-term maintenance of hard dental tissue and periodontal structures. Personalised prevention which is patient-suitable and age-appropriate is therefore key to the sustained success of the dental practice. This means, integrating prophylaxis into the daily work of a dental practice is a management job. And next to the use of modern scientific and technical innovations, the entire team of the dental practice also needs to strengthen a patient's compliance by means of professionally-led communication.

The dental industry offers prevention-orientated dental practices a huge spectrum of opportunities for further training. A well-trained prophylaxis team under the direction of the dentist can reliably assess individual risks right from the start and improve the health of the individual patient to a significant extent. This increases the patient's willingness to attend upcoming recall appointments and correctly carry out oral hygiene measures at home. Moreover, competent prophylaxis services also support the acceptance of this practice.

Over the course of the IDS – International Dental Show – in Cologne, Germany (10.03.-14.03.2015), prophylaxis specialists from many renowned companies of the dental industry will be attending, and will present their solutions which demonstrate how modern preventive concepts can be firmly anchored in the daily routine of a dental practice. During the days of the fair, the interested professional audience can gain from their knowledge and experience. At the same time, the IDS provides an excellent opportunity to ask questions and to enter into discussions with the experts. This leading trade fair for the international dental sector provides trade visitors with a unique international forum where expert advice about all aspects of oral prophylaxes can be obtained.

"The International Dental Show, the world's biggest and leading trade fair for dentistry and dental technology, in Cologne, Germany, from 10.03. to 14.03.2015 provides dentists and their prophylaxis teams with the optimal opportunity to obtain comprehensive information about the range of modern methods and current trends within preventive treatment and diagnostics, and to use discussions with experts from exhibiting companies and experienced users to gain valuable ideas for their own daily business" explains VDDI Executive Director Dr. Markus Heibach.

IDS takes place in Cologne every two years and is organised by the GFDI Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Dental-Industrie mbH, the commercial enterprise of the Association of German Dental Manufacturers (VDDI) and staged by Koelnmesse GmbH, Cologne.