A Choice of Interdental Cleaning Solutions
GUM® brand’s Your Gums Matter™ Variety Box helps improve patients’ self-care
Why should dental professionals educate their patients about between-teeth cleaning?
The American Academy of Periodontology estimates that three out of four Americans have some form of gum disease.1 Brushing alone may not prevent periodontal disease, but adding an interdental cleaning regimen can significantly improve gingival health.2 Plaque develops between teeth, and the longer it remains in these hard-to-reach places, the more harmful it becomes. This can lead to periodontal disease and, eventually, tooth loss.3
Under its GUM® brand, Sunstar sells many types of interdental cleaners, but why is it important for clinicians to offer patients a choice of solutions?
Despite decades of research that supports the importance of flossing, only 14% of Americans floss daily.1 With such low compliance, it’s critical to offer multiple solutions that encourage daily interdental cleaning. The Your Gums Matter™ Variety Box contains a selection of GUM® Proxabrush® Go-Betweens® cleaners, Soft-Picks® and Eez-Thru® Flossers that all clean as well as floss.4 In short, they offer effective and easy-to-use alternatives for patients who typically don’t floss. And, for good measure, ButlerWeave® floss is also included.
How can the variety pack be used to educate patients?
Displaying and offering a variety of GUM® brand interdental cleaning solutions encourages conversations with patients, and having multiple products available allows dental professionals to recommend the right product for each patient’s needs. Furthermore, patients who receive samples and recommendations from dental professionals are more likely to incorporate the product into their self-care regimens.
Which dental professionals are most likely to be interested in the Your Gums Matter™ Variety Box?
The variety pack should prove popular with those who are only dispensing dental floss to patients, those purchasing a single alternative to floss, and those with an active periodontal patient base. The Your Gums Matter™ Variety Box raises awareness of floss alternatives. The GUM® brand variety pack can help dental professionals increase home care compliance and achieve better clinical outcomes.
References
1. Dispelling Myths About Gum Disease: The Truth Behind Healthy Teeth and Gums. American Academy of Periodontology website. www.perio.org/consumer/gum-disease-myths. Accessed July 2, 2014.
2. Corby PM, Biesbrock A, Bartizek R, et al. Treatment outcomes of dental flossing in twins: molecular analysis of the interproximal microflora. J. Periodontol. 2008;79(8):1426-1433.
3. Brecx M, Theilade J, Attström R. An ultrastructural quantitative study of the significance of microbial multiplication during early dental plaque growth. J Perio Res. 1983;18(2):177-186.
4. Yost KG, Mallatt ME, Liebman J. Interproximal gingivitis and plaque reduction by four interdental products. J Clin Dent. 2006;17(3):79-83.
