There are so many little things that can impact considerably on our life. The world has recently been subjected to the devastating effects of the tiny Aedes aegypti mosquito that is believed to be responsible for spreading the Zika virus, causing microcephaly in new-born babies. Equally, small gestures such as a friendly smile, a word of encouragement or a genuine ‘thank you’ can lift the spirits and really make a difference to the day. Minor things such as wearing our favourite jumper, having a good belly laugh or getting into a bed with clean sheets, can make a big impact on how we feel. Similarly, by making a slightly different lifestyle choice, taking a different attitude to a matter or discovering a slightly more efficient way of carrying out a task has the potential to make giant strides in our success.
It is not always possible to change or improve some things immediately but by beginning with small manageable activities there is much more chance of achieving bigger targets. Take the marathon runner as an example; most people cannot wake up one morning and decide they will run for 26 miles, they need to begin slowly and gradually to build and develop the stamina they need to run long distance. Another example is when we are faced with never-ending list of little jobs to do. It can soon become overwhelming even though they may not critical. However the completion of just one small task can make us feel a whole lot better. It is the same for dental patients, if they make regular appointments that only take a little time, they can avoid lengthy, more invasive treatments. Dental professionals constantly reinforce oral hygiene instructions because if patients pay attention to these details much larger dental issues can be prevented.
Inflammation of the gums or gingivitis is another case in point. As dental professionals will know, if detected early it can be treated successfully with relatively simple steps before it develops into more serious periodontal disease. When periodontal disease develops however, pockets form between the teeth and gums that collect plaque and rapidly breed perio-pathogenic bacteria. If this is not addressed damage to the supporting tissues can occur and ultimately lead to tooth loss. To treat these cases effectively, practitioners must first perform root surface debridement (RSD) to clear away toxins and often follow this with maintenance therapy to prevent recolonisation. PerioChip® is an ideal adjunct for this purpose, because although very tiny, is able eliminate a wide spectrum of microbes. PerioChip® can be placed directly into periodontal pockets of 5mm or deeper and slowly releases chlorhexidine digluconate to eliminate 99% of perio-pathogenic bacteria over 7-10 days.[1] This little chip then continues to suppress the growth of microflora for up to 11 weeks[2] allowing time for pockets to heal and the teeth to stabilise. Clinical studies showed a pocket reduction of more than 2mm in almost three quarters of patients when PerioChip® was placed every three months in combination with RSD,[3] which confirms that something very small can make a substantial difference.
PerioChip® is available exclusively from Dexcel Dental, to order or for further information call 0800 013 2333 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Summary of product link;
http://www.old.health.gov.il/units/pharmacy/trufot/alonim/PerioChip_dr_1337488974840.pdf
[1] Jeffcoat M K et al. Adjunctive use of a subgingival controlled-release chlorhexidine chip. J Periodontal 1998; 69 (9): 989 – 997. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9776027 [Accessed 17th February 2016]
[2] Summary of Characteristics PerioChip® http://www.old.health.gov.il/units/pharmacy/trufot/alonim/PerioChip_dr_1337488974840.pdf [Accessed 17th February 2016]
[3] Soslkolne W.A et al. Probing depth changes following 2 years of periodontal maintenance therapy including adjunctive controlled-release of chlorhexidine. JOP 2003;74:420-427. http://www.joponline.org/doi/abs/10.1902/jop.2003.74.4.420 [Accessed 17th February 2016]