Custom-Fit Mouth Tray for Teeth Bleaching May
Improve Oral Health of Senior Citizens
‘We've noticed through whitening patients' teeth...
as they bleached, their teeth got squeaky clean and their gingival
health improved.’
When health problems or medications cause xerostomia, or dry mouth, the lack of saliva reduces the mouth's natural
protective mechanisms. These problems lead to plaque accumulation,
cavities and periodontal disease, and could further impact the patient's
health. Photo by Phil Jones, Medical College of Georgia
June 28, 2010 - A tooth-bleaching agent may improve
the oral health of elderly and special-needs patients, say dentists at
the Medical College of Georgia and Western University of Health
Sciences. Standard oral hygiene methods, such as brushing and flossing,
can be difficult or impossible for patients with mental challenges or
senior citizens with impaired manual dexterity.
Additionally, when health problems or medications
cause xerostomia, or dry mouth, the lack of saliva reduces the mouth's
natural protective mechanisms. These problems lead to plaque
accumulation, cavities and periodontal disease, and could further impact
the patient's health.
A report featured on the cover of this month's
Journal of the American Dental Association noted that applying the
tooth whitener carbamide peroxide through a custom-fit mouth tray might
combat those problems. The report was based on a literature review and
the authors' clinical experiences with special-needs patients and tooth
bleaching.
"What we've noticed through whitening patients'
teeth over the years is that as they bleached, their teeth got squeaky
clean and their gingival health improved," said Dr. Van Haywood,
professor in the Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry and
co-author of the report.
Dentists have used carbamide peroxide, or urea
peroxide, for decades to whiten teeth, but its original use was as an
oral antiseptic. It removes plaque, kills bacteria and elevates the
mouth's pH above the point at which enamel and dentin begin to dissolve,
which results in fewer cavities.
"All these benefits lead us to believe that tray
bleaching can be a very effective supplemental method of oral hygiene
for patients facing greater challenges keeping their mouths clean," said
Dr. David Lazarchik, associate professor in the Western University of
Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine and the report's co-author.
The trick is in the tray, Haywood said. After a
complete dental exam, the dentist can make the custom-fit tray that the
patient can wear comfortably at night or for several hours during the
day. The carbamide peroxide gel can be prescribed or purchased
over-the-counter.
Lazarchik said further research is needed to
determine a specific protocol for using tray-applied carbamide peroxide
specifically to improve oral health.
Haywood will lecture on the topic in October at the
American Dental Association's 151st Annual Session and World Marketplace
Exhibition in Orlando, Fla.
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