Also committed to supporting evidence-based practice, Johnson & Johnson recognise that where some patients may require further support for plaque management, an adjunctive mouthwash can help.
The possible need for such an adjunct is highlighted by the Adult Dental Health Survey of 2009. It indicated that 66 per cent of dentate adults had some visible plaque, despite 75 per cent of participants claiming to brush their teeth twice a day and 25 per cent of those reporting they clean interdentally daily.
So, whilst the standard recommendation remains to brush the teeth and clean interdentally, evidence suggests that the adjunctive use of a mouthwash may provide benefits beyond mechanical cleaning for some people in specific circumstances.
Beyond brushing and interdental cleaning
In terms of mouthwash formulations, Figuero and colleagues (2019) conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis exploring the adjunctive use of 11 different mouth rinse formulations.
They concluded that adjunctive antiseptics in mouthwash provide statistically significant reductions in plaque, compared to mechanical cleaning alone at six months.
They also came to the conclusion that, “Despite the high variability in the number of studies comparing each active agent and the different risks of bias, CHX [chlorhexidine] and EOs [essential oils] in mouthrinses appeared to be the most effective active agents for plaque … control.”
The Figuero and colleagues’ (2019) outcomes add to the pre-existing evidence base presented by Araujo and colleagues (2015), which was the first meta-analysis to demonstrate the clinically significant, site-specific benefit of adjunctive essential oil mouthwash in people within a six-month period (that is, between dental visits).
The analysis revealed that 36.9 per cent of subjects using mechanical methods with essential oil-containing mouthwash experienced at least 50 per cent plaque-free sites after six months, compared to just 5.5 per cent of patients using mechanical methods alone.
Adjunctive options for your patients
Johnson & Johnson have two products in their range that to help support patients’ gum health – Listerine Total Care and Listerine Advanced Defence Gum Treatment.
It has been demonstrated that, when used as an adjunct to mechanical cleaning, Listerine Total Care is clinically proven to achieve five times more plaque-free sites than mechanical methods alone, which may help to prevent gum disease.
Listerine Advanced Defence Gum Treatment is a twice-daily mouthwash, clinically proven to treat gingivitis as an adjunct to mechanical cleaning.
It is formulated with unique LAE (Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate) technology, which forms a physical coating on the pellicle to prevent bacteria attaching – and so interrupts biofilm formation. When used after brushing, it helps to treat gingivitis, as demonstrated by the reduction of bleeding by 50.9 per cent (p<0.001) in just four weeks.
With Listerine Advanced Defence Gum Treatment clinically proven to interrupt the plaque colonisation process, this may offer a viable option in terms of supporting patients’ gum health in specific circumstances.
Through our range of mouthwashes, Johnson and Johnson help dental teams work in partnership with patients, with specific products designed to improve home care routine outcomes significantly; this helps to support the prevention or management of periodontal disease when used in conjunction with mechanical cleaning.
For more information, visit www.listerineprofessional.co.uk