A comprehensive mechanical plaque control program - designed, monitored, and reinforced by dental professionals - can help patients achieve excellent oral hygiene and oral health. However, this approach to prevention is impractical for many individuals, so dental caries and periodontal disease are highly prevalent globally. Experts recently agreed that a toothpaste with fluoride and a plaque control agent can augment mechanical procedures to simultaneously prevent caries and periodontal disease. Notwithstanding this, it is timely to rethink prevention and oral health promotion. A new definition of oral health raises awareness of its different dimensions and empowers dentistry to move from treating disease to supporting prevention. In addition, a deeper understanding of the relationship between oral biofilms and the host facilitates new opportunities for disease prevention. The knowledge that health-associated biofilms help prevent establishment of pathogenic species, regulate the potentially damaging host response, and provide essential benefits to health and well-being is paramount to changing the paradigm of prevention of dental disease. Ecological approaches to biofilm control can reduce plaque sufficiently to reduce disease risk, while creating and supporting the beneficial functions of biofilms consistent with health. The knowledge that the oral soft tissues are the primary reservoir of bacteria for tooth recolonization and that reducing bacteria on soft tissues results in improved plaque control and consequently better oral health is also salient. Indeed, a toothpaste that delivers 12-hour protection to the hard and soft tissues (whole mouth protection) and multiple oral health benefits (whole mouth health) could become the future cornerstone of prevention. An innovative fluoride toothpaste with a Dual Zinc plus Arginine multi-functional therapeutic agent offers whole mouth protection against daily oral challenges and whole mouth health for the patient. Within a patient-centered preventive program, next to messaging that motivates towards improved self-care, this toothpaste empowers patients to achieve effective prevention of common oral diseases and better oral health compared to just brushing with an ordinary toothpaste.
Keywords: 12-hour protection; L-arginine; caries; control; ecology; fluoride; gingivitis; plaque; prevention; toothpaste; zinc citrate; zinc oxide.
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