Experts reinforce rinsing

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, manufacturers of the Listerine range of antiseptic mouthwash, hosted a seminar at the Australian Dental Industry Expo and Australian Dental Association, Victorian Branch (ADAVB) Convention in Melbourne on August 6.

The seminar, entitled The Role of Chemotherapeutic Adjuncts in Home Oral Health Care, provided an opportunity to hear from two of Australia’s leading oral health experts, Professor Eric Reynolds, from the University of Melbourne and Professor Laurie Walsh from the University of Queensland.

The idea for the seminar was forged in early 2003, when results of a new study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association demonstrated that rinsing with Listerine as an adjunct to daily flossing and tooth brushing provides a dramatic and clinically significant incremental benefit in helping to reduce gingivitis and plaque build-up over brushing and flossing alone. In response to the new data, Professor Reynolds drove discussion around the efficacy of both essential oil and chlorhexidine mouthrinses, including reductions in plaque and gingivitis, control of oral malodour, improvements in post-surgical healing, reductions in inflammation around dental implants and reductions in bacteria in dental aerosols when used pre-procedurally.

In his presentation, Professor Walsh addressed safety issues across both types of mouthrinses, including allergy, dental erosion, alcohol, irritation, effect on micro-organisms in the oral flora and spectrum of activity.

The seminar, attended by a broad cross section of dentists, hygienists, therapists, academics and students, generated an enthusiastic question and answer session where attendees probed deeper into the application of this information in their daily roles.

Pfizer is working with the ADA and hopes to have the seminar accredited for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) points. Attendees will be notified once this has been confirmed.

Pfizer is continually seeking new ways to share important research findings with the profession and hopes to contribute to an evidence-based approach to oral health by reaching more professionals with similar initiatives in 2005.