Hygiene Tribune U.S. No. 7, 2015

Offering your patients alcohol-free products / Industry News

Open PDF View E-paper Edit Epaper Edit Epaper ads save

Table of contents

HYGIENE TRIBUNE
The World’s Dental Hygiene Newspaper · U.S. Edition

DECEMBER 2015 — Vol. 8, No. 7

www.dental-tribune.com

Capitol Hill event advocates for increased
access to oral health care for older adults
OHA and DTA bring oral-health leaders together to address challenges facing elderly Americans

ral Health America (OHA) and
Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait, an
initiative of the Dental Trade
Alliance, brought together
dozens of oral-health leaders on Capitol
Hill to address the challenges facing older
Americans with access to oral health care.
The event, “Aging in America: You Can’t Be
Healthy Without Good Oral Health,” featured Ellie Hollander, president and CEO
of Meals on Wheels America, as keynote
speaker and recognized Dr. David Satcher
as the 2015 recipient of the Marvin Goldstein Outstanding Public Service Award
for his dedicated leadership in improving
public health in the United States. Satcher
served as U.S. Surgeon General from 1998
to 2002, releasing the first ever Surgeon
General’s report on oral health.
“It is a special occasion for me and I
express my deepest appreciation for

this award,” said Satcher, founder of the
Satcher Health Leadership Institute of
the Morehouse School of Medicine. “The
theme ‘Aging in America: You Can’t Be
Healthy Without Good Oral Health’ is a
very important theme, and it is also a very
special year. It is the 50th anniversary of
Medicare and Medicaid and the Older
Americans’ Act, very important anniversary in the history of our country as it relates to health and health care.”
The Capitol Hill event was part of OHA’s
annual Fall for Smiles campaign, which
educates Americans every September and
October about the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth through daily
brushing and flossing, making regular
dental visits, eating healthy foods and
avoiding tobacco products.
According to a recent survey commissioned by OHA and conducted by Harris

Poll, older adults already recognize the
importance of oral health, with 58 percent saying they do not believe tooth loss
is a natural part of aging and 92 percent
agreeing that dental visits are necessary
even if you are missing some or all of your
teeth. However, many are confused as to
what Medicare covers, with 52 percent of
older adults unsure about what Medicare
covers or believing Medicare covers routine dental care.
More than half of low-income older
adults reported not having seen a dentist
in more than a year, with most citing lack
of money and/or insurance as the reason.
“The people having trouble chewing,
experiencing pain, having trouble trying
to afford their next meal, we’re generally
talking about those in the greatest social
and economic need. Research tells us that
poor dental health of course drives health

care costs,” said Hollander. “We both have
the same challenge if we do not address
these inextricably linked issues.”
OHA staff and board members are asking members of Congress to pass the
Older Americans Act Reauthorization
Act of 2015, restore funding for all programs within the Older Americans Act to
pre-sequestration levels, support family
caregivers through the Recognize, Assist,
Include, Support and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act and support workforce
innovations to increase access to care.
Fall for Smiles is sponsored by 3M ESPE,
DentaQuest Foundation, Denticator,
Hu-Friedy, Listerine, Midmark, National
Dental Association, Oral Healthcare Can’t
Wait, Patterson Dental, Sunstar, Trident
and Whip Mix.
(Source: Oral Health America

Offering your patients alcohol-free products
By Jodie Heimbach, RDH, BS

Fluoride or no fluoride, compact toothbrush or full size toothbrush, coronal polish first or polish last. The decisions necessary in the dental practice are numerous
and many times are based upon personal
choice.
How and when does the dental professional decide whether to eliminate alcohol products from the practice or limit
the recommendation of products that
contain a high quantity of alcohol?
The debate continues as to whether alcohol may be drying of the oral tissues,
but substance abuse disorders are part of
the human condition and touch as many
as one in four American families.1
If you are considering a reduction in the
amount of alcohol used within product
recommendations where should the dental professional begin?
One of the most common products
the dental professional may recommend
is chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX). CHX
has been considered the gold standard
for the reduction of biofilm and gingival
inflammation. Chlorhexidine is an antiseptic mouthrinse that is bactericidal and
effective against some forms of yeasts
and viruses. Most chlorhexidine mouthrinses contain 11.6 percent alcohol. If one
were seeking an alternative to reduce
alcohol by 11.6 percent, Sunstar Americas provides the clinician with GUM®

Paroex®, the only FDA-approved alcoholfree 0.12 percent chlorhexidine gluconate
mouthrinse.••

GUM Paroex
To keep patients healthier and reduce
the risk of allergies, many dental offices
are now latex free and also now moving
toward no-alcohol. In a similar principal,
why not create an alcohol-free practice
that will benefit the oral health of your
patients without the irritation of alcohol?
The GUM Paroex Chlorhexidine was
tested beside Peridex® and Periogard®
to evaluate the effectiveness compared
with products that contain alcohol. Results showed there was no difference in
effectiveness between the alcohol-free
and the others. The alcohol-free chlorhexidine was as effective as one containing
alcohol in controlling plaque and reducing gingival inflammation.2
GUM Paroex is ideal for immune compromised patients challenged with mucositis or patients who are receiving head
and neck radiation.3 GUM Paroex also can
be considered as a post-operative treatment following periodontal procedures
and for a pre-procedural rinse in the office
to protect patients and the dental team by
reducing airborne bacteria. 4
Chlorhexidine may also be used in
caries control programs. Because dental
caries are a bacterial infection, an antimicrobial such as chlorhexidine may be
indicated to reduce caries.5

Additional concerns may
GNYDM
be the individual who is
BOOTH
suffering with xerostomia,
NO. 3828
ulcerative gingivitis and
tissue damage; these conditions may be exacerbated by
alcohol.6 Also consider treatment of
the patients with alcohol dependency
who may not reveal their full health
history.
Using a product with 11.6 percent
alcohol is not necessary when there
is an alcohol-free alternative that is
clinically equivalent.
Paroex is dispensed in a 16 oz. bottle
that may be purchased at the dental office
or by prescription from the local pharmacy. (A new 4 oz. bottle was introduced
in 2014.) The dental professional can feel
secure in dispensing an FDA-approved
alcohol-free chlorhexidine to patients for
periodontal maintenance, immunosup
pressed conditions, post-surgical care and
pre-procedural rinsing.

GUM Rincinol
GUM Rincinol® is a mouthrinse that provides whole-mouth pain relief. It is the
first non-prescription bio-adherent mucosal coating for long-lasting soft-tissue
pain relief. The pain relief may occur in
less than three minutes and has been reported to last for up to six hours. In addi
tion, it does not contain alcohol or benzocaine.
The lack of alcohol and benzocaine will

Sunstar
America
provides the
clinician with
GUM Paroex,
the only
FDA-approved
alcohol-free
0.12 percent
chlorhexidine
gluconate
mouthrinse.
Photo/Provided by
Sunstar America

reduce stinging and burning sensations,
or any post-treatment numbing effects.
GUM Rincinol will comfort patients with
apthous ulcers, denture sores, irritation
from orthodontic appliances, removable
prosthetics, post-oral surgery, scaling
and/or root planning procedures, mucositis, xerostomia and any other intraoral
irritation. Many dental professionals recommend the soothing rinse for use with
those undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
GUM Rincinol promotes healing because it contains aloe. It is safe for use in
adults and children ages 6 and up and is
even safe if accidentally ingested. Each
application lasts up to six hours, but will
depend on the daily diet regimen. The
product may be purchased in a pack of in” See ALCOHOL-FREE, page B2

[2] =>

INDUSTRY NEWS

Hygiene Tribune U.S. Edition | December 2015

Barrier protection critical
with any dental-care glove
While caring for their patients, dental
and health care professionals are constantly exposed to bodily fluids that
may carry viruses and other infectious
agents.
It is therefore critical that the gloves
these professionals use provide the best
possible barrier protection.
Many types of gloves are available today, but it is important to know that not
all gloves have the same barrier capability, depending on the type of material
used. For example, natural rubber latex
gloves have long been acknowledged for
their very effective barrier properties,
while non-latex gloves, such as vinyl
(polyvinyl chloride), have inferior barrier capability as shown by numerous
studies.
Other synthetic gloves, such as nitrile and polyisoprene, perform much
better than vinyl but are more costly,
especially polyisoprene gloves. Using
gloves with inferior barrier capability
could expose both the patient and user
to harmful infections.

Quality, safety top priorities
Malaysia is the world’s largest medical

gloves exporter (latex and nitrile). Both
quality and users’ safety are of top priority to the nation’s glove industry. To
this end, a quality certification program
(the Standard Malaysian Gloves, or the
SMG) has currently been formulated for
latex examination gloves.
All SMG-certified gloves must comply
with stringent technical specifications
to ensure the gloves are high in barrier
effectiveness, low in protein and low
in allergy risks, in addition to having
excellent comfort, fit and durability —
qualities that manufacturers of many
synthetic gloves are trying to replicate.

Natural, sustainable resource
Latex gloves are green products, derived
from a natural and sustainable resource,
and are environmentally friendly. (You
can learn more online by visiting www.
smg-gloves.com or www.latexglove.info).
The use of low-protein, powder-free
gloves has been demonstrated by many
independent hospital studies to markedly reduce the incidence of latex sensitization and allergic reactions in workplaces.
More importantly, latex allergic in-

dividuals donning non-latex gloves
can now work alongside their coworkers wearing the improved low-protein
gloves without any heightened allergy
concern.
However, for latex-allergic individuals, it is still important they use appropriate non-latex gloves, such as quality nitrile and polyisoprene gloves, that
provide them with effective barrier protection.

Extensive array of brand, prices
Selecting the right gloves should be
an educated consideration to enhance
safety of both patients and users. For
decades, gloves made in Malaysia have
been synonymous with quality and excellence, and they are widely available
in an extensive array of brands, features
and prices.
They can be sourced either factory
direct (www.mrepc.com/trade and click
“medical devices”) or from established
dental product distributors in the United States.
(Source: Malaysian Rubber Export
Promotion Council)

“ ALCOHOL-FREE, page B1
dividual sachets or 4 oz. bottles from the
dental office. The 4 oz. bottles are available in most major drug store chains.
At the end of your day, when you must
decide whether to eliminate alcohol products from your practice or limit the recommendation of products that contain
a high quantity of alcohol, consider the
alternatives offered by Sunstar GUM.

ÿ References
1.

ADA Website, September 7, 2014, www.
ada.org/en/membercenter/memberbenefitslhealth-and-wellness-information/
substance-abuse-disorder.
Leyes Borrajo, JL, Garcia Varela, L, Rodrigues-Nunez, I,Garcia Figueroa, M, Galls
Torreira, M) ., Efficacy of Chlorhexidine
Mouthrinses With and Without Alcohol: A
Clinical Study. J Periodontal)2002 March.
Cachhlllo D.,Barker BF. Late effects of head
and neck radiation therapy and patientdentist compliance with recommended
dental care. Spec Care dent 1993, 13:159-169
Fares, M., Figueiredo, LC., Faveri, M., Stewart, B., DeVizio, W Nov:62(11):649-51.,The
effectiveness of a preprocedural mouthrinse containing cetylpyridinum chloride
in the dental office, J.Periodntl1991
Nov:62(11):649-51.
Emilson, CG, Potential Efficacy of Chlorhexidine Agent against Mutans Streptococci
and Human Dental Caries, JDR March
1994, Vol 73, no 3.
Blanco-Carrion A, Rodrigues-Nunez, I, Gandara-Rey JM. Lopez-Lopez J. A new mouthrinse formulation for painful lesions of the
oral mucosa (In Spanish). Rev Eur Odontol
Estamatol1996; 3:169-72.

***For important safety information on
GUM Paroex: us-professional.gumbrand.
com/gumr-chlorhexidine-gluconate-oralrinse-609.html.
(Source: Sunstar America)

HYGIENE TRIBUNE
Publisher & Chairman
Torsten Oemus t.oemus@dental-tribune.com
President & Chief Executive Officer
Eric Seid e.seid@dental-tribune.com
Group Editor
Kristine Colker k.colker@dental-tribune.com
Editor in Chief Dental Tribune
Dr. David L. Hoexter feedback@dental-tribune.com
Editor in Chief Hygiene Tribune
Patricia Walsh, RDH feedback@dental-tribune.com
Managing Editor
Robert Selleck r.selleck@dental-tribune.com
Managing Editor
Fred Michmershuizen
f.michmershuizen@dental-tribune.com
Managing Editor
Sierra Rendon s.rendon@dental-tribune.com
Product/Account Manager
Humberto Estrada h.estrada@dental-tribune.com
Product/Account Manager
Will Kenyon w.kenyon@dental-tribune.com
Product/Account Manager
Maria Kaiser m.kaiser@dental-tribune.com
Business Development Manager
Travis Gittens t.gittens@dental-tribune.com
EDUCATION Director
Christiane Ferret c.ferret@dtstudyclub.com
Accounting Coordinator
Nirmala Singh n.singh@dental-tribune.com
Tribune America, LLC
116 West 23rd Street, Suite 500
New York, NY 10011
Phone (212) 244-7181
Published by Tribune America
© 2015 Tribune America, LLC
All rights reserved.
Tribune America strives to maintain the utmost accuracy in its news and clinical reports. If you find a
factual error or content that requires clarification,
please contact Managing Editor Robert Selleck at
r.selleck@dental-tribune.com.
Tribune America cannot assume responsibility for
the validity of product claims or for typographical
errors. The publisher also does not assume responsibility for product names or statements made by
advertisers. Opinions expressed by authors are their
own and may not reflect those of Tribune America.
Editorial Board
Dr. Joel Berg
Dr. L. Stephen Buchanan
Dr. Arnaldo Castellucci
Dr. Gorden Christensen
Dr. Rella Christensen
Dr. William Dickerson
Hugh Doherty
Dr. James Doundoulakis
Dr. David Garber
Dr. Fay Goldstep
Dr. Howard Glazer
Dr. Harold Heymann
Dr. Karl Leinfelder
Dr. Roger Levin
Dr. Carl E. Misch
Dr. Dan Nathanson
Dr. Chester Redhead
Dr. Irwin Smigel
Dr. Jon Suzuki
Dr. Dennis Tartakow
Dr. Dan Ward

Tell us what you think!
Do you have general comments or criticism
you would like to share? Is there a particular
topic you would like to see articles about in
Hygiene Tribune? Let us know by emailing
feedback@dental-tribune.com. We look
forward to hearing from you!
If you would like to make any change to your
subscription (name, address or to opt out)
please send us an email at c.maragh@dentaltribune.com and be sure to include which
publication you are referring to. Also, please
note that subscription changes can take up to
six weeks to process.

[3] =>

[4] =>

INDUSTRY NEWS

Hygiene Tribune U.S. Edition | December 2015

Lead: Is it in your varnish?
Metal-free and thanks in part to the natural rosin, StarBright has one of highest fluoride release rates
By Nanova Biomaterials Staff

What is more important in your practice: Patient care quality or perception?
There are pros and cons to everything
in life, and fluoride varnish is no exception. In the past few years, there has been
a movement toward using white (hydrogenated) rosin in fluoride varnish, based
solely on the preference of esthetics over
efficacy. If you are using a hydrogenated
white varnish, your practice has chosen
a misinformed perception of varnish capabilities over high-quality patient care.
There are many factors that affect fluoride release of a varnish. A major contributor is the base material — in many
cases rosin. Products that solely use hydrogenated white rosin consistently have
lower fluoride release compared with
StarBright.
Hydrogenated rosins undergo an additional chemical process, which bleaches
the rosin by heating the material with
hydrogen gas over a metal catalyst —
lead, aluminum, nickel, platinum and/or
palladium. The second stage of the process removes as much of the metal residue as possible, but it never completely

removes these metals.
In addition to the issue of using metal,
the chemical processing of the hydrogenated white rosins causes the varnish to
be less adhesive than natural-based rosins. Most of the varnishes using this processed rosin do not adhere well to teeth,
and those that initially stick to the surface wear off in a few hours after application. When you attempt to brush the varnish off your teeth, and you do not see
the varnish on your toothbrush, it proves
it is not still adhering at that point. This
means that your patients have a much
higher possibility of swallowing the fluoride, as well as ingesting trace amounts
of metal.
Natural rosins do not use chemicals or
metals to change the color of rosin before
being added to the varnish. The natural
rosins are heated in a still to allow the
unwanted materials to be filtered out
through phase separation.
StarBright 5 percent sodium fluoride
varnish, manufactured by Nanova Biomaterials Inc., uses a natural-based rosin,
eliminating the risks of your patients
ingesting chemically altered rosin. It
is sweetened with Xylitol and comes in
five flavors: caramel, bubblegum, mint,

StarBright
5 percent
sodium
fluoride
varnish,
manufactured
by Nanova
Biomaterials,
uses a
natural-based
rosin, eliminating the risks of
your patients
ingesting
chemically
altered rosin.
Photo/Provided
by Nanova
Biomaterials

strawberry and cinnamon.
Due in large part to the natural rosin,
StarBright has one of the highest fluoride
release rates on the market, according to
Nanova Biomaterials. It actually stays on
teeth, ensuring the fluoride goes to the
tooth and not the tummy.

In addition, when applied in a thin layer to dry teeth, the tinted rosin is not visible on the teeth. So Nanova Biomaterials
invites you to ask yourself, what is more
important to your practice: Patient care
quality or a misinformed perception of
varnish?

Wireless and unconnected

‘WireLess’ headlight
is self-contained

GNYDM
BOOTHs
1813, 2012,
4625

LED DayLite WireLess is not limited to one
pair of loupes or a specific eyeglass frame
Designs for Vision’s new LED DayLite®
WireLess™ not only frees you from being tethered to a battery pack, but the
simple modular design also uncouples
the “WireLess” light from a specific
frame or single pair of loupes. Prior
technology married a cordless light to
one pair of loupes via a cumbersome integration of the batteries and electronics into the frame. The compact design
of the DayLite WireLess is independent
of any frame/loupes.
The patent-pending design of the LED
DayLite WireLess is a new concept: a selfcontained headlight that can integrate
with various platforms, including your
existing loupes, safety eyewear, lightweight headbands and future loupes
or eyewear purchases. The LED DayLite
WireLess is not limited to one pair of
loupes or built into a specific eyeglass

frame. The LED DayLite WireLess can be
transferred from one platform to another, expanding your “WireLess” illumination possibilities across your eyewear
options.

1.4 ounces
The LED DayLite WireLess weighs only
1.4 ounces and, when attached to a pair
of loupes, the combined weight is half
the weight of integrated cordless lights/
loupes. The LED DayLite WireLess produces more than 40,000 lux at high
intensity and 27,000 lux at medium intensity. The spot size of the LED DayLite
WireLess will illuminate the entire oral
cavity. The function of the headlight is
controlled via capacitive touch.
The LED DayLite WireLess is powered
by a compact, rechargeable lithiumion power pod. It comes complete with

three power pods. The charging
cradle enables you to independently
recharge two power pods at the same
time and clearly displays the progress of
each charge cycle.
Designs for Vision has been showing
the Micro Series together for the first
time this fall. The Micro 3.5EF Scopes
use a revolutionary optical design that
reduces the size of the prismatic telescope by 50 percent and reduces the
weight by 40 percent, while providing
an expanded-field full-oral-cavity view
at 3.5x magnification.
The new Micro 2.5x Scopes are 23 percent smaller and 36 percent lighter than
traditional 2.5x telescopes, and enlarge
the entire oral cavity at true 2.5x magnification.
The Micro Series is fully customized
and uses the proprietary lens coatings

The LED DayLite
WireLess headlight can
integrate with various
platforms, including your
existing loupes, safety eyewear, lightweight
headbands and future loupes or eyewear
purchases. Photo/Provided by Designs for vision

for the greatest light transmission.
You can “See the Visible Difference®”
yourself by visiting the Designs for Vision booths, Nos. 2012 and 4625 at the
Greater New York Dental Meeting.
Or arrange a visit in your office by calling (800) 345-4009 or emailing info@
dvimail.com.
(Source: Designs For Vision)

[5] =>

[6] =>

) [page_count] => 6 [pdf_ping_data] => Array ( [page_count] => 6 [format] => PDF [width] => 765 [height] => 1080 [colorspace] => COLORSPACE_UNDEFINED ) [linked_companies] => Array ( [ids] => Array ( ) ) [cover_url] => [cover_three] =>

[cover] => Hygiene Tribune U.S. No. 7, 2015

[toc] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [title] => Offering your patients alcohol-free products [page] => 01 ) [1] => Array ( [title] => Industry News [page] => 04 ) ) [toc_html] =>

Table of contents

[toc_titles] =>

Offering your patients alcohol-free products / Industry News

[cached] => true )