The role of chlorhexidine (CHX) in inhibiting plaque growth has been extensively studied. The aim of the review was to evaluate the effectiveness of CHX-containing dentifrice (DF) or gel (CHX DF/gel) compared with CHX mouthwash (MW). Searches were conducted in Medline-PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Embase databases. Randomized controlled trials [read the full story…]
Peri-implantitis is a common reason for the failure of dental implants and a number of different treatments for managing this condition have been suggested (Dental Elf 26th Jan 2012). The aim of this review was to assess whether laser therapy was effective either as a monotherapy or as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of [read the full story…]
A number of different regenerative techniques, guided tissue regeneration (GTR), bone grafting (BG) and the use of enamel matrix derivative (EMD) have been used to try and regenerate periodontal tissues. The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness of EMD in the treatment of periodontal pockets of suprabony defects. Searches were conducted in [read the full story…]
The Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) has just launched its latest guidance on the Prevention and Treatment of Periodontal Diseases in Primary Care. The focus of the guidance is on the prevention and non-surgical treatment of periodontal diseases and implant diseases in primary care. It includes advices on diagnosis and management of periodontal and [read the full story…]
The destructive form of periodontal disease, periodontitis, affects approximately 50% of adults and over 60% of over 65 year olds, with severe periodontitis affecting 10–15% of populations. It is biologically plausible that chronic inflammation from periodontal disease has an impact on diabetes control and a number of epidemiological studies have highlighted associations between the two [read the full story…]
The strong association between smoking and periodontal disease is known (Dental Elf 20th June 2014). However as non-smoking individuals exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (passive or second- hand smoking) are also know to be at risk of disease this review aimed to assess the association between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and periodontal disease. Searches were [read the full story…]
Smoking is recognised as a major risk factor for periodontal disease and a large number of studies have shown a strong and consistent association between smoking and periodontal disease. The aim of this study was to re-examine the periodontal effects of smoking and the impact of the other putative risk factors through early to middle [read the full story…]
Tooth decay and gum disease are two of the commonest, but preventable diseases known to man. Regular and effective toothbrushing play an important role in the prevention of these diseases. Powered toothbrushes (PTBs) have been available since the 1960s and the question of whether they are better than manual toothbrushes (MTBs) has been with us [read the full story…]
Diode-lasers have been used for soft-tissue applications such as incision, haemostasis, and coagulation so are considered to have potential for the treatment of periodontal disease. The aim of this review was to assess the adjunctive effect of a diode laser following non-surgical periodontal debridement (SRP) during the initial phase of periodontal therapy on the clinical [read the full story…]
The World Health Organisation has stated that the retention, throughout life, of a functional, aesthetic, natural dentition of not less than 20 teeth and not requiring recourse to prostheses should be the treatment goal for oral health. This is consistent with the concept of the shortened dental arch (SDA) with an intact anterior region and [read the full story…]
