One small step for hygienists, one giant leap for dentistry.
Neil Armstrong said something similar as he stepped onto the moon in 1969.1 We can apply this statement to dental hygiene because leaps are being made behind the scenes that will impact us for years to come. Since 1954 (before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon), dentists and hygienists have been using problematic chlorhexidine to meet their clinical needs both in-office and for patients at home. OraCare was created in 2011, and has soared in popularity over the years. Now a clinical trial shows amazing results!
Salus Research conducted a six-week randomized, examiner-blind clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of OraCare Health Rinse compared to tooth-brushing alone.2 Let’s first review the study and then look at the results.
Summary
- Six-week study with 91 participants
- Control group: Brushing alone twice daily
- Test group: Brushing and use of OraCare twice daily
- Areas of evaluation: Bleeding points, plaque accumulation, periodontal charting, overall gingival health
Bleeding reduction
One of the branches of this study evaluated bleeding points. It concluded that the group that used OraCare resulted in a 66.9% reduction (table 1). If gingivitis is left alone and untreated, we know that it can progress into periodontitis, which is much more difficult to treat. If it gets to this point, it puts our patients at greater risk of tooth and bone loss, as well as infection. A rinse is easy to use and hard to mess up, making it a simple addition to a home-care routine.
Plaque reduction
The best way to prevent plaque buildup is through consistent and effective oral hygiene practices. In the study, the control group (brushing alone) saw no improvement in plaque reduction from their initial evaluation. The test group (using OraCare in conjunction with brushing) saw a 22.5% plaque reduction throughout the mouth, 19.3% plaque reduction at the gumline, and 30.7% plaque reduction interproximally (table 2). By providing patients with OraCare, we can help them reach areas that are regularly missed.
Decreased probing depths
Reducing probing depths is a difficult task. During the study, the test group saw 35 times the improvement over the control group. For patients undergoing periodontal therapy, reducing probing depths is a positive indicator of the treatment’s success. OraCare is a rinse that can be taken home and used continuously to potentially provide better therapy outcomes.
Overall, the study concluded that patients using the OraCare rinse in combination with regular tooth-brushing saw a 604% improvement—this is huge! OraCare uses activated chlorine dioxide to kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi, break up plaque, and neutralize volatile sulfur compounds. It also includes xylitol, which can provide additional benefits. This study shows us how OraCare can replace chlorhexidine, taking us from “Houston, we have a problem” to “To infinity and beyond!”
Editor's note: This article appeared in the July 2024 print edition of RDH magazine. Dental hygienists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
References
- Apollo 11: The moon landing. National Air and Space Museum. https://airandspace.si.edu/explore/stories/apollo-11-moon-landing
- Studies show OraCare is proven to be 440x better than brushing alone in new clinical study. OraCare. https://www.oracareproducts.com/salusresearchstudy.html
