Modern Hygienist - October 2008 - (Page 23)

HOMECARE | patients SPECIALIZED CARE The state of the art today means products that meet overall oral care needs while offering something extra in at least one specialized area. Stoops believes consumers are interested in high technology, but they’re looking for research that backs up claims of the product’s effectiveness. For Philips Sonicare, this means products like the clinically proven HealthyWhite that Stoops says answers the demand from the growing population of consumers looking to whiten their teeth without using chemical treatments. Those same consumers are likely to be among the growing portion of the population interested in using natural products for their oral healthcare. BACK TO NATURE Toothpaste, mouthwash and floss made without chemical ingredients and created with cruelty-free practices are now widely available. Natural product manufacturers are even branching out to meet the consumer demand for whitening and other specialized areas of care, says Susan Dewhirst, media and public relations manager for Tom’s of Maine. “As people become more interested in what they put in and on their bodies, they’re reading labels more,” she says. “People are clearly asking for these types of products, and they don’t want one, they want choice within those natural products.” Tom’s of Maine has been focusing on what goes into the products and how they’re made since the 1970s. Creating natural dental products often takes longer and is more expensive because the manufacturers must find different ways to achieve the same results consumers find in the conventional brands. Natural products must be effective and accepted by the dental industry if the public is going to adopt them. Dr. Kerry Maguire, DDS, MFPH, Tom’s of Maine’s director of professional advocacy, says having ADA approval on products is key to winning support from dentists and hygienists who are key to winning over consumers who demand more information about the oral care products they use. “I think there are more and more people who are engaged at a different level with the products they use in their daily life. There’s a sense of more individual responsibility,” Maguire says. “I feel like there’s this groundswell that in some ways has caught up with Tom’s of Maine.” IMPORTANT ADVISORS What the future holds for home oral care is not yet known, but the consensus opinion is that proven technologies will be refined and improved, making care more effective. As more and more consumers begin to understand the direct connection between their oral health and their overall health, the demand for these improved products will increase and an educated public will be even more interested in knowing the origins and workings of the products they use. It is in this area where dentists and especially hygienists will continue to play a key role in their patients’ homecare decisions. Stoops believes most consumers place a high value on recommendations from their care providers, and Lyle says it is important for dentists and hygienists to know their patients well enough to recommend products that will work, but more importantly products that the patients will actually use. “You have to value what the patient wants, and what their goals are. They have the devices and the information, but it still gets down to compliance,” she says. “The influence of the dental professional on a consumer is growing. I see dentists and dental hygienists as being pivotal in leading patients to the choices they make,” Stoops says. mh Noah Levine is an associate editor for Modern Hygienist. I think there are more and more people who are engaged at a di erent level with the products they use in their daily life. ere’s a sense of more individual responsibility. —Dr. Kerry Maguire, DDS, MFPH October 2008 | modern hygienist 23

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Modern Hygienist - October 2008

Modern Hygienist - October 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Letters News Modern Solutions Trends: Homecare Trends: Perio Trends: Ergo Trends: Mid Care After Chemo Professional Rewind Esthetic Expertise: Make or Break Relationship Hands-on Hygiene: Have You Seen the Light? Going the Distance Training for Life Presi-dental Politics Ad Index Moonlighting

Modern Hygienist - October 2008

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