Dentist Nilesh Parmar discusses the Sonicare toothbrush, his weapon of choice to combat oral bacteria that can wreck implants and oral health.
‘Patients are spending a lot of money on Invisalign treatment, implants and bonding, and they need to maintain this work, something a manual toothbrush just cannot do.’
Dr Nilesh Parmar, who treats between 200 and 300 implant patients at his two Essex clinics each year, explains the key cause of peri implantitis – an inflammatory disease which attacks the soft and hard tissues surrounding implants, leading to bone loss and ultimately the loss of the implant.
He explains that unlike other medical procedures which involve implanting a new body part, such as hip and knee replacements, which are encased in the body in a sterile environment, dental implants can be subject to more than 600 different species of bacteria and thousands more subspecies. Everyone is at risk, but smoking and vaping can particularly suppress the oral immune system, as can diabetes.
‘If the bacteria get the upper hand, and you get bacterial colonisation or invasion of the dental implant, that can ultimately lead to the loss of the implant,’ says Dr Parmar, adding: ‘If you can imagine the surface of the dental implant, it has lots of little pits and fissures to allow the bone cells to attach to the surface of the implant.
‘However, that roughness also provides a nice little cocoon area for bacteria to grow. Once bacteria get onto the implant surface, they multiply very, very quickly and it’s difficult to disinfect the surface, which is why you need effective brushing as a prevention.’
‘Brushing your teeth properly should be the easiest thing in the world’
Dr Parmar is emphatic that good oral hygiene should not be challenging for most people. ‘To me, brushing your teeth properly should be the easiest thing in the world. We have electric toothbrushes with timers, we have disclosing tablets and innumerable dental aids. I tell my patients that if they can’t maintain this level of self-care then I can’t give them implants. If they are losing their teeth because of gum disease, they’re going to lose their implants because of gum disease – because they’re not brushing their teeth properly. And that’s where very clever toothbrushes come into play.’
He chooses the Philips Sonicare toothbrush, not only over manual brushes, but also big-name competitor brands. ‘A Sonicare toothbrush could be the difference between maintaining healthy teeth and gums – including restorative work such as implants – and a harmful “bacterial invasion”.’
He adds: ‘Research (Lee et al, 2015) shows that the Sonicare toothbrush is more effective at plaque removal than a manual brush and it’s even better for driving patient compliance. Perhaps that’s because when you have this lovely looking, gleaming toothbrush you have invested in, you’re more likely to use it.’
‘The perfect brush’
‘I’ve also done a small personal study between the Sonicare toothbrush and its closest competitor and I much prefer it. It’s very easy to manipulate, and not overly complicated to use but it also has a premium feel to it and the battery lasts a very long time and it never breaks down. The toothbrush heads are also good – not too small or large. From an ergonomic perspective I think it works very well for implant patients, particularly for elderly patients who may have some form of arthritis or dexterity issues. For them it works particularly well.’
‘I particular rate the sonic technology, which is important with implants because you can’t always get as close to or underneath the restorations, meaning it gives you a little extra reach compared with competitors – it’s a very powerful brush in comparison – it never misses any plaque.’
Aside from how effective the Sonicare toothbrush is at cleaning teeth and gums, its superior design means that when you’ve finished brushing the toothbrush head doesn’t need to be removed and washed separately to prevent foam and water continuing to run down the handle. ‘The Sonicare toothbrush head isn’t hollow, so that doesn’t happen – another reason why I prefer the brush.’
Finally, he points out that too many patients believe that brushing harder means they are brushing more effectively, which isn’t the case. ‘With a Sonicare toothbrush, my patients are shocked to learn they should only be putting 25g of pressure on their teeth and gums. The Philips Sonicare brush helps them to understand how hard they are brushing and trains them to ease back.’ He concludes ‘It’s the perfect brush, and the one I highly recommend.’
Reference
- A randomised 4, 8 week study to compare manual and powered toothbrushes for efficacy in plaque removal and reduction of inflammation in peri-implant mucositis Jungwon Lee, Sung-Tae Kim, Ki-Tae Koo, et al. Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University
This article is sponsored by Philips.
