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19Perio TribuneNovember 29-December 5, 2010United Kingdom Edition O ne of the most impor- tant parts of the job of any dental practitioner is the education of their patients with regards to maintaining a good oral care regime. Some of the most important parts of the mouth in this respect are the in- terdental areas, which experts agree are an ideal breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria andahigh-riskareaforthedevel- opment of caries. The self-care regimens taught by practition- ers are crucial in the prevention of gum disease, but patients can struggle to maintain their good work outside of the dentist’s of- fice and often slip back into bad habits. Worryingly, the British Dental Health Foundation now estimates that a mere 21 per cent of the British public use dental floss. In recent years, research- ers have amassed a body of evidence to substantiate claims about the links between oral and other diseases, including, but not limited to, diabetes, cardio- vascular disease, dementia and strokes. In trials conducted by the Northern Manhattan Stroke Study (NOMAS) links between oral infection and the onset of a stroke have been examined. Sev- enty eight people of mixed eth- nicity (Caucasian, Hispanic and Afro-American) who resided in the same community and had never suffered strokes, received detailed oral examinations. These included measurement of probing depth and attachment loss at six sites per tooth as well as an ultrasound measurement of the carotid arteries. It was duly noted that those with the most severe periodontal disease also showed the greatest thick- ening of the arteries. These re- sults remained consistent, even when known cardiovascular risk factors were accounted for, including hypertension, diabe- tes, and cholesterol levels. It has been noted that many patients contract some kind of infection shortly before suffering a stroke, and this provides a link between periodontal disease and cardio- vascular disease. The results suggest that infections such Interdental Cleaning: the path to better oral hygiene for patients Helmut Nissen discusses the next generation of cleaning products page 19DTà ‘Some of the most important parts of the mouth in this respect are the inter- dental areas, which experts agree are an ideal breeding ground for patho- genic bacteria and a high-risk area for the development of caries’ ESTETICA E80 Rise above the rest with KaVo. • Outstanding ergonomics and attractive, highly functional designs. • Innovation at its best. • State of the art technology reliability and functionality at amazingly low prices. From as little as £286* per month excl VAT KaVo Dental Limited · Raans Road, Amersham, Bucks HP6 6JL Tel. 01494 733000 · Fax 01494 431168 · mail: sales@kavo.com · www.kavo.com Contact your local KaVo or Gendex supplier for more details! *Finance is subject to status and for business purposes only. KaVo – Dental Excellence Estetica A4 SELECTED:Layout 1 25/2/09 13:42 Page 1