Periowave Blog

April is Dental Awareness Month, and for most people, this means the state of their teeth. However, teeth are only a part of dental health; soft (gum) tissue and hard (bone) tissue, are also very much part of the equation. Dental Awareness Month is therefore a very good time to focus on the bone and gum tissues that support a healthy mouth.

The Periowave Handheld Laser

There are many reasons why we should take some time this month to learn about periodontitis which most people know as gum disease. Gum disease is the most common human infection, affecting not only our oral health, but our overall systemic health too. It is well worth remembering what the bard once wrote: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Prevention of gum disease is a good example of this lesson, as early intervention can be highly effective and not very involved while postponing treatment can lead to extreme consequences such as loss of teeth, bad breath and the risk of some serious long term chronic health issues like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc.

When not brushed and flossed properly, a bacterial infection might develop where the gums join the teeth. This includes plaque and tartar building up at the base of the teeth, filling up inflammatory pockets. Several adverse effects result since plaque contains bacteria; damage of tissue (teeth and gums), infection, and tooth abscess. Bacteria from the plaque may also travel into the bloodstream and increase the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, arthritis, and other diseases. This is why regular brushing and flossing is crucial.

Some common treatments of periodontitis include the application of antibiotic microspheres (containing minocycline), antibiotic gel (containing doxycycline), antiseptic chips, anti-microbrial mouthrinse, enzyme suppressants, or oral antibiotics. These forms of treatment rely heavily on patient compliance and can lead to resistance, as in the case of antibiotics. However, there is a non pharmaceutical alternative that has shown, through a numerous clinical trials, significant gains in clinical attachment and overall improvement of oral health. Periowave™ Photodisinfection System is a non-antibiotic approach to the treatment of gum disease, providing a simple solution to complex oral infections.

Periowave™ is a new approach to the treatment of gum disease that harnesses the powerful photodisinfection reaction to inactivate the bacteria and toxins that are left behind after scaling and root planing. The application of Periowave™ is essentially a two step process. The first step is called irrigation, where a specially formulated photosensitizing solution is topically applied to the gums at the treatment site. This photosensitizing solution preferentially attaches to the harmful bacteria and toxins associated with periodontal disease (Figure 1). Next, a thin plastic light guide is placed into the treatment site. The light guide illuminates the treatment site with a specifically calibrated laser light, activating the photosensitizer solution and destroying bacteria beneath the gum line (Figure 2). The entire treatment is painless, creating less stress for both the patient and the dental clinician.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Photodisinfection has many clinically proven advantages, offering superior patient outcomes and better overall oral health. Photodisinfection instantly inactivates host inflammatory factors, eradicates P. gingivalis from dental implants without altering their surface chemistry, and does not generate antibiotic resistance. One trial demonstrated that Periowave™ kills 99.99% of all P. gingivalis biofilm within 60 seconds, the standard duration of treatment. No other therapy can match these results without the risk of damaging human tissue.

Periowave™ is an innovative technology that has the potential to drastically decrease periodontitis in a safe and timely manner. The benefits of Periowave™ include: no patient compliance after the treatment, rapid action, high specificity to disease-causing bacteria and anti-inflammatory impact. The combination of these benefits results in better patient outcomes, including a healthier mouth leading to improved overall systemic wellness. Periowave™ is minimally invasive and has changed the way dentists treat gum disease. Photodisinfection serves the dental clinician both as a therapy for severely diseased gums and as a preventative intervention. Periowave™ is, therefore, the ounce of prevention that patients have been looking for. For a dentist with Periowave™ nearest you, click here.

Oral health is critical to our well-being and yet too many of us take it for granted. Despite decades worth of research linking oral health to systemic health, far too many people remain unaware of the importance in maintaining good oral health. A quick search on the internet reveals millions of articles discussing the link between gum disease and major chronic diseases such as cancer, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, pre-diabetes, arthritis, pre-term births etc. Gum disease is the most prevalent human infection with little progress being made.

No one would walk around with with chronically bleeding fingernails or pus-filled scabs on their arms, but because gums are hidden from view, most people will ignore their symptoms until it is too late and much damage has been done.  Why is this? Studies have demonstrated the general unwillingness to address chronic gum disease when up to 70% of patients diagnosed with gum disease failed to get treatment due primarily to cost and fear of pain. (It can be assumed that 100% of those undiagnosed are not seeking treatment and this may represent about half of the population). Read More

The Periowave team had a fantastic time again at this year’s Pacific Dental Conference, held at the Vancouver Convention Center. With over 12,000 dental professionals attending, we were kept busy discussing Periowave case studies, technique, and tradeshow promotions.

Periowave was featured in four lectures at the PDC this year. A record for us! Dr. Veronique Benhamou, Dr. George Freedman, Dr. Fay Goldstep, and Dr. Nancy Adair did a fantastic job educating clinicians on the benefits of using Periowave in their practice. Read More

It seems that the root of all evil stems from the mouth; more specifically, the gums.

Over the years, periodontal disease has been linked to every thing from impotence, to heart disease, to cancer.

And now, far fetched as it may sound, gum disease may be linked to failed orthopedic implants. Yes, you read right – the implants used to rebuild your granny’s hip.

While you may be thinking: “Who on God’s green Earth decided to examine whether or not a person’s infected artificial knee was caused by their teeth?” – and you’d have a point – there’s actually a serious case to be made.

According to a study conducted by scientists at the University of Arkansas and the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2007, bacteria that enter the bloodstream via the bleeding gums caused by periodontal disease can cause infections in artificial joints. These infections, as the study states “can be potentially devastating.”

Read More

Thanks to the tremendous involvement of local officials and citizens, such as Espita Mayor Cap. Erosa and Sr Raul Monforte, the McGill’s ‘Kindness in Action’ dental mission led by Dr Veronique Benhamou was a great success. The mission was created to provide free dental services to the local people of Espita, Yucatan, many of whom had never before had access to a dentist.  Over 700 patients were treated over the 10 days in Espita, representing an excellent outcome from this collaboration.

Read More

Although we have been supporters of Dr Benhamou’s “Kindness in Action” efforts in Latin America, this was my first opportunity to join the team on location. The experience exceeded all of my expectations and I was so sad not to be able to stay until the very end. For anyone who ever thought about going on a medical or dental missions, my advice is to do it sooner rather than later. It is such an amazing way to see a new country and its people as you see it’s authentic and intimate sides unavailable to the regular tourist. While the Mayan ruins are impressive, the local people are genuine and very hospitable.

Read More

It was with great pride that I watched my fellow Canadians working so hard to help the native Mayans of the Yucatan village of Espita, Mexico receive the dental care they so badly needed. Under the “Kindness in Action” banner, this team from Montreal consisted of dentists and dental students, and was lead by Dr Veronique Benhamou, Head of the Periodontology Department of McGill University. Dr Benhamou not only led the mission, but also coordinated the many Canadian sponsors, both individuals and corporate, to ensure that the equipment and supplies needed for such a challenging mission were available.

Read More

Dental problems can plague everyone in the world, especially those in low-income countries with little access to dental care. In fact, up to 90% of cavities in children living in third world countries go untreated. Despite the good intentions of local governments to address this problem, ~75% of them do not have the funds to support essential dental services, and many patients go untreated. Fortunately, Dr. Veronique Benhamou of McGill University is leading a team of 14 dental professionals to address this problem.

Embarking on January 24^th, Dr. Benhamou and her team of dentists, hygienists, and assistants will be headed on a 2 week “Kindness in Action” mission to Yucatan, Mexico. The goal of this mission is to provide world-class dental care to 600-700 patients in Espita, Holca, and surrounding villages; many of whom have never received dental treatment before. Here’s a video of Dr. Benhamou from her Kindness In Action trip to Peru a few years ago.

Read More

A recent study conducted by the CDC, estimates that nearly half of Americans 30-years-of-age or older show some form of periodontal disease— whether this ranges from mild illness, with shallow pocket formation around teeth, to severe illness involving bone loss and systemic inflammation.  For seniors, the numbers are even higher— skyrocketing to an astounding two-thirds of the population sampled.  As with most complex illnesses, early intervention is often key to a better outcome; in this case, intervention may prevent tooth and bone loss, or even later manifestations of cardiovascular disease.

Unsurprisingly, oral bacteria and plaque are the main drivers behind periodontal disease.  As a bacterial biofilm, with a complex, communal structure, plaque is much more resilient than single-celled bacteria and has greater resistance to bodily defenses and antimicrobial agents.  Even in the short term, plaque biofilms have been shown to promote the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enzymes from immune cells; these substances, in turn, contribute to the breakdown of the periodontal ligament— the connective tissue that holds teeth in place. Read More

Este es el caso de una mujer de 52 años proveniente del este de la India, quien cada 4 meses asistía a su clínica dental para recibir el mantenimiento correspondiente posterior al tratamiento periodontal. La paciente había sido tratada 3 años antes por periodontitis generalizada grave. En aquel tiempo, el tratamiento consistió en raspado y alisado radicular, en cuidados en casa, equilibrio oclusal y cirugía ósea. La paciente padecía presión sanguínea alta, la cual se controlaba con lisinopril (Prinivil®) una vez al día, pero en general, contaba con buena salud. La valoración dental, mostró una bolsa entre los dientes 43 y 42, de 6 mm de profundidad que se apreciaba inflamada y sangrante. El resto de la boca se encontraba saludable.

Izquierda: Inflamación gingival cerca de la bolsa, previa al tratamiento. Derecha: Solución de la inflamación gingival después del tratamiento.

Read More