That is an unique weblog publish from Dr. Gupreet Sidhu, D.D.S., Langley, BC
Haley got here to me three years in the past and mentioned she had an important lunch the place she realized a few new Fluoride varnish she had an opportunity to strive from Oral Science. It was totally different in its normal make-up as a result of it didn’t have the cheesy really feel most varnishes have. As much as that time, we had been principally utilizing a standard PCxx thixotropic 1.23% APF gel. Usually, sufferers had been okay with it, however we all the time had a good variety of sufferers who declined fluoride due to style issues, upset stomachs, not with the ability to eat for half-hour afterward, and even simply normal discomfort with the process. It was all the time one thing I used to be conscious of on the workplace (Lighthouse Dental Centre), however from the time I used to be in dental college, this was nonetheless thought-about the popular technique of Fluoride utility.
From a time-efficiency perspective, I’ve all the time felt gel fluoride hasn’t been the perfect product for a number of causes:
- The whole course of takes about 4-5 minutes by the point you sit up the affected person, select the right trays, load the gel, and permit the affected person to expectorate for 30-60 seconds afterwards.
- When working a busy apply, if I’m coming in for an examination, and it’s the beginning of the Fluoride utility, then I’m ready, and consequently, my different affected person is ready for me to return as effectively.
- The hygienist ceaselessly solely has 60 minutes to assessment the affected person’s medical historical past, probe tooth, take X-rays, full the cleansing, prophy, floss, anticipate the examination, clear the room, and arrange for the following affected person. Each minute counts.
We used a number of varnishes, however the varnish we predominantly used was a 3M product known as Vanish. We usually would use this on sufferers that declined the gel or had a excessive incidence of cavities. Vanish is available in a Unidose bundle, which inherently will increase the CPP (Price per affected person), but it surely does have some nice properties like a 24-hour Fluoride launch time, straightforward utility, and no have to dry the tooth. It additionally labored nice with sensitivity alongside the gum line, however nearly all sufferers would touch upon how the tooth didn’t really feel “clear” afterward due to the tackiness attributable to the pine tree sap ingredient generally known as colophony or rosin.
I say all of the above to say this: My hygienists and I’ve been searching for a product with all of the optimistic attributes I’ve talked about with out the drawbacks that retract from the affected person expertise.
Then, alongside got here Fluorimax.
Oral Science does an important job explaining what Colophony-free means when it comes to product thickness, however in our real-world utility, what it actually means is a a lot better affected person expertise. The food-grade shellac permits the applying to be very skinny and just about invisible. We use this product on 100% of our sufferers, and thru the hundreds of hygiene sufferers we’ve seen, not a single affected person has complained or has not been capable of tolerate the Fluoride utility.
Like Vanish, the Shellac works effectively for hypersensitivity, and now we have had nice success with utilizing it earlier than an ultrasonic cleansing to lower sensitivity and discomfort throughout instrumentation.
When it comes to the time it takes to use, the CDA and hygienist can apply the fluoride in underneath a minute, making it way more environment friendly for the apply. Due to the thinness, I can do an examination any time earlier than or after the applying.
We usually use two flavours: mint and bubble gum. As anticipated, the youngsters love bubble gum, and most adults favor mint. In its place, a caramel flavour can be out there. Alongside the way in which, we definitely discovered it’s essential to comply with instructions and shake the bottle for 15 seconds earlier than shelling out the Fluoride to forestall settling. If we don’t do this, sufferers will discover an acidic style from the applying, however as soon as the Fluoride is correctly combined, it’s fairly nice for the affected person. They actually love the truth that they’ll eat and brush usually after the appointment. Dental professionals all have these sufferers who get so hungry within the chair, they usually need to get out to seize a snack immediately!
Regarding price with 585 drops in a single bottle, it’s extremely cost-effective, and it decreases the related hygiene overhead. Every affected person is barely totally different, so we will dial in how a lot varnish we need to dispense per affected person.
I just lately took over a second dental workplace (Blue Water Dental) that has a longtime affected person base of over 40 years. Each hygienists have been working towards for many years, they usually love this product a lot it took solely someday of utility to appreciate that this was going to be the way forward for our hygiene program. With it being extra snug, it has undoubtedly enhanced affected person compliance.
Quite a few occasions, we had sufferers who all the time denied Fluoride utility, who at the moment are transformed to Fluoride customers after we’ve satisfied them to strive Fluorimax. It really is totally different than something in the marketplace.
One among my favorite quotes, “None of us are smarter than all of us,” is a precept that has helped our enterprise develop. By listening to others who’ve been on an identical path in progress and growth, we’ve been capable of evolve. I approached Oral science to provide my genuine suggestions on their product to succeed in a broader viewers to hopefully assist different dentists and apply homeowners improve their providers for his or her sufferers and improve effectivity and profitability.