Why prophylaxis?

Nine out of ten citizens are convinced that their dental care, i. e. their regular brushing is adequate. Many are not aware of the additional professional dental cleaning, i. e. the cleaning provided at the dental office. The professional dental cleaning (PDC) removes hard and discoloured plaque more effectively than dental care at home.

Research studies have shown that inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity can elevate the risk for certain general illnesses. For example, the interaction of periodontitis and disorders of the respiratory tract as well as an elevated risk for myocardial infarction and stroke are discussed. In pregnant women, the connection between disorders of the tooth retaining apparatus and the premature birth rate as well as a low birth weight is striking. In contrast, diabetes, a weakened immune system and not lastly smoking increase the risk for caries and gingivitis.

Professional dental cleaning reduces the risk of tooth loss

PPreventive procedures are therefore important. They can significantly reduce the risk of caries and periodontitis and therefore lower the risk factors for other diseases. Prophylaxis is as individual as the denturition of every person. For example, we rarely experience caries and periodontitis at the same time. Tooth decay plays an important role during the first decades of our lives. After age 35, tooth loss becomes more prevalent as a result of gum disease. Bacterial dental plaque plays a key role for the development of these oral disorders. Food is decomposed into acids by the bacterial metabolism. With continuous exposure, this leads to the decalcification of the hard dental substance and inflammation of the gums, usually associated with bad breath.

Therefore, the systemic dental prophylaxis is targeting four areas:

• removal of adhering dental plaque
• remineralisation of the hard dental substance
• increase of the resilience of the enamel against acids
• inhibition of the bacterial metabolism in the plaque.