OraCare: A Better Rinse Alternative for Dental Implant Care
Compendium features peer-reviewed articles and continuing education opportunities on restorative techniques, clinical insights, and dental innovations, offering essential knowledge for dental professionals.
September 1, 2023
Volume 44, Issue 8, September 2023
Page(s):
Robert "Bob" Martino, DDS, spent a number of years providing comprehensive dental care in his home state of West Virginia before realizing that he could make an even bigger impact on his community by serving in a purely management position.
"We have seven practices in West Virginia," Martino says. "I chose to take on more of a practice management role. I miss dentistry, especially all of the technological advances and the interaction with the patients."
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However, in setting down the handpiece and concentrating on the bigger picture, Martino had the opportunity to focus on improving his patients' and colleagues' lives in a variety of ways, including through the creation of OraCare.
"OraCare came about when I was at a national study group with friends and colleagues more than 10 years ago, and we were talking about how much we hated chlorhexidine. It can cause staining and calculus, and people can't stand the taste. We did some studying and found that for all the things it's used for, the only main benefit of chlorhexidine is for gingivitis," Martino explains.
Knowing there had to be something better, Martino and his colleagues, Richard Downs, DDS, and Berdj Kiladjian, DMD, conducted research and trials, and the end result was the launch of OraCare Health Rinse, a chlorhexidine alternative that harnesses the power of activated chlorine dioxide and xylitol. The trio quickly saw interest and acceptance from hygienists, Martino says, as OraCare rinse was lauded for its lack of side effects: no staining, no additional calculus/tartar build-up, and no altered taste.
"Thousands of hygienists use it for everyday care, tissue management, pre-rinsing, dry mouth, fungal infections, cancer care, bad breath, and periodontal disease," Martino notes. OraCare is a two-bottle, professional rinse available only at dental practices. Users pump equal amounts of each bottle into a provided cup. When the two solutions are mixed, it activates chlorine dioxide, a highly effective solution for eliminating bacteria, breaking up biofilm, and neutralizing volatile sulfur compounds.
Currently, Martino is especially focused on spreading the word about OraCare to dentists placing implants. "Many patients need implants because they had poor home care to begin with. So, with an implant they won't get a cavity, but continued poor home care can lead to peri-implantitis, which is the No. 1 reason why implants fail," he says.
Martino stresses that OraCare rinse could make the difference in home-care healing and longevity for implant patients, and he implores colleagues to stop advising the use of chlorhexidine after implant placement. "Chlorhexidine after implants is contraindicated due to its inhibiting healing and fibroblasts, which are necessary for tissue repair. It was never intended for post-implant use," he states. "Chlorhexidine represents dentistry of the past. OraCare is for dentists of the future."
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Robert Martino, DDS
Owner and Operator of seven dental practices in West Virginia; Board Member, OraCare
