Could a New Toothpaste Help in Your Battle Against Plaque?
We’ve reported in the past about all the various ways that your dental health can negatively impact your body, as plaque and various inflammatory conditions can cause or exacerbate conditions like heart disease. And, of course, you already know about the main weapons at your disposal for combatting these health concerns: brushing, flossing, and regular checkups and dental maintenance. Now, however, there may be yet another tool that you’ll be able to rely on as you fight the good fight against dental problems and poor bodily health – an innovative new toothpaste that could help to identify plaque in your mouth.
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That toothpaste, called Plaque HD® recently completed a trial in which it demonstrated its capacity for helping to reduce dental plaque. The trial also measured hs-CRP markers to determine that this new toothpaste also reduced bodily inflammation of the kind that typically serves as an early warning sign of stroke and heart attacks. While that was just a small trial, the results were conclusive enough to warrant a larger-scale trial to study the implications.
The Study
The test was conducted by assigning a set brushing protocol to random subjects who received two months’ worth of one of two types of toothpaste: one that contained the Plaque HD® and another placebo toothpaste without any plaque-identifying capabilities. All the test subjects were required to utilize fluorescein mouth rinse, and the researchers had the hs-CRP levels assessed by a separate laboratory.
The conclusions were apparently a surprise to the scientists. They were, in fact, expecting to see that dental plaque would be substantially reduced, since that had been discovered in previous research efforts. The surprise was that the toothpaste also impacted inflammation levels in a positive way. This news was something that they had not expected to discover during the test.
Of course, the study doesn’t end here. Already, the researchers are preparing a grant proposal to gain support from the National Institutes of Health for the broader trial needed to confirm these initial findings. This time, the scientists will be focusing directly on the issues regarding inflammation reduction and the positive impact on heart attack and stroke risks.
What it Means for You
Obviously, these test results may not excite much of the public. They do, after all, merely confirm some of the claims made by the manufacturers of this toothpaste product. However, the research does serve yet another reminder of just how important it is to reduce plaque levels in your mouth. There are many great toothpaste products on the market, and your results will almost always be dependent upon your commitment to using them properly in a consistent regimen of dental hygiene.
At Ebenezer Dental, we’re committed to not only providing you the best care in the business, but important information about your dental health that you can use in your own fight against plaque. If you’d like to learn more about how your choice of toothpaste can protect your teeth and your bodily health, or just want to schedule your next appointment with the best dentist in Midtown Manhattan, contact us today.