CHICAGO – October 11, 2000 – Periodontists say that many of their patients should be doing more to protect their periodontal health, according to a recent online poll of periodontists conducted by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP).
| Are the majority of your patients adequately concerned about the health of their gums?   |
Periodontal disease is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Nearly 90 percent of the 201 periodontists polled reported that flossing frequency is one of the areas of oral care that patients are most lax in, and about 61 percent reported that their patients’ flossing technique could use improvement, two essential components of an effective oral care regimen.
According to the poll, the biggest offenders are overwhelmingly male patients. Ninety-seven percent of those surveyed reported that their female patients practice better oral hygiene habits than males.
Not only is it important for patients to establish a regular routine for oral care, it is also important that they use proper techniques so that they don’t damage their gums. In the survey, hard bristled toothbrushes beat out popcorn seeds and candy as the item having done the most damage to patients’ periodontal health. And several periodontists wrote in that they’d also seen improperly used oral rinses, toothpicks and floss holders cause damage.
Unsatisfactory home care seems to persist despite the fact that nearly all the periodontists surveyed reported that they or a staff member review and ask patients to demonstrate oral home care techniques either every visit or on those visits when it seems necessary. When trying to motivate and educate patients, periodontists report that mirrors, X-rays, and drawings or photos depicting periodontal disease are helpful. “I like to have the patient and spouse in the exam room and show both, with a hand mirror, the difference between healthy gums and disease. I point out plaque and pocket depths,” said Steven Uretsky, D.M.D., a private practitioner in Pittsburgh. Patients should not be afraid to ask their periodontists to help them improve their oral care techniques or to use visuals to help them understand what’s happening in their mouth, said survey participants.
And, when it comes to motivating factors to accept treatment, nearly 71 percent of periodontists reported their patients are most motivated by a fear of loosing teeth. However, other important reasons cited for seeking periodontal treatment included aesthetic reasons such as improving the look of the gum line or getting rid of bad breath, improving functional problems such as difficulty chewing, and lowering the risk of heart disease, respiratory disease, preterm births or diabetes.
While patients often cite lack of time and dexterity problems as reasons for not flossing, many periodontists report having heard some rather unique excuses, including: I used all of my floss tying up my tomato plants; I gag when I see what comes out when I floss; and, my kids use it to tie up their siblings, so we can’t keep it in the house. Excuses aside, as many periodontists like to point out, it’s only important to floss the teeth you want to keep.
A referral to a periodontist in your area and free brochure samples including one titled How to Brush and Floss are available by calling 800-FLOSS-EM or visiting the AAP’s Web site at www.perio.org.
About the AAP
The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) is the professional organization for
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