by Karen Kaiser
Springtime and thawing out from winter chills hold great wonder. When the leaves in the garden are removed, tinges of green growth are exposed. Seeing these first signs of spring from the budding bulbs just peeking out from under the insulated leaf coverings gives the indicator of change ... winter to spring. As the buds leave their wintry protection, they are vulnerable to the elements. Exposing the tender new growth to springtime showers is a conditioning process.
Much like the unprotected new shoots adjusting to spring rains, teeth with exposed root surfaces experience hypersensitivity with unpleasant oral changes. When patients experience sensitivity associated with exposed root surfaces, many believe they just have to deal with the nagging discomfort.”
Many so-called miracle products claim to stop the aging of other body parts. Wouldn’t a product that reverses the aging process for your smile be quite a find! Challenging nature by reversing the aging process on wearing teeth is closer than one may think with the addition of nourishing NovaMin. NovaMin is a compound that can help reverse negative effects, decrease hypersensitivity, and rebuild tooth mineral.
Replenish tooth vitality
NovaMin technology, in a different and much larger particle size, has been medically applied to countless broken bones (especially during times of war) to aid in bone repair and regeneration. This particulate is composed of naturally occurring calcium, sodium, phosphorous, and silica (natural to the body’s hard tissues). NovaMin takes these nontoxic ions, combines those particles for delivering to sites in need of repair, and allows the enhanced self-repair mechanism of the body to initialize. Taking this bioactive technology and formulating it for use in oral care products gives way to beneficial products now available to reduce uncomfortable root sensitivity. The moist mouth is an ideal environment for NovaMin to react with saliva, releasing calcium and phosphate ions that precipitate onto the root suface to form a hydroxycarbonate apatite layer and hold fast to thirsty root surfaces, occluding open tubules.
Simply put, products containing NovaMin occlude tubules by forming apatite where it is applied.
For in-office application, Sunstar Butler has introduced a root conditioner called NuCare™ Root Conditioner with NovaMin®. This product reduces sensitivity by occluding tubules naturally because the product is chemically similar to naturally occurring tooth minerals. The product proves especially useful after root planing and scaling (occluding tubules), and preparing an attachment-friendly environment. Additionally, the root conditioner is the only desensitizing product available for subgingival care.
NuCare is activated by horizontal rhythmic plunging (syringe to syringe), premix to particulate. The product looks like one is churning homogeneous milk and changes to a bright white when readied for root application.
For best results, work from a reasonably clean surface prior to placement but do not completely air-dry after rinsing. Remember, a moist surface will react best with NovaMin. Syringe a thin ribbon on the prepped root surface (subgingival root application is approved), making sure the syringe tip avoids direct contact with the root surface while the product interacts with the primed surface. The chalky mixture stays where placed. After leaving in place for two minutes, a gentle rinse of less than 20 seconds to remove residual product is all that is required. Patients have reported rapid relief from severe sensitivity during the water rinse required to wash off the root conditioner material.
Another new upcoming Sunstar Butler product for the operatory is NuCare prophy paste, also containing NovaMin. This paste comes in gentle and a stain removal formula. You now can selectively remove unsightly stain and still nourish the tooth surface. The prophy paste is scheduled for release in June 2005.
Acids from bacteria and certain foods along with brushing habits may daily erode susceptible tooth surfaces. Thankfully, our bodies have a built-in repair mechanism found in our saliva which uses essential ions (phosphorus and calcium) to remineralize the surface crystalline.
OMNII Oral Pharmaceuticals uses NovaMin as its active ingredient (composed of calcium, sodium, and phosphosilicate) in a prescription paste for office dispensing. SootheRxTM paste provides sensitivity therapy for teeth. When the concentrated NovaMin particles in the paste are exposed to mouth’s fluids during toothbrushing, they react instantly and release mineral-containing ions. Natural salivary ions and NovaMin elements combine to form strong remineralizing crystals for continued relief. After brushing, NovaMin ionic particles physically adhere to tooth surfaces and continue to release.
SootheRx paste is flavored with a refreshing mint (NovaMin itself is taste-free). The SootheRx daily paste (stage 1 treatment) is used twice daily during the first two weeks of therapy, and is dispensed in a handy 1.5-ounce tube. After initial treatment, a once-a-week regimen (stage 2) is then followed. The kit contains enough weekly unit doses to provide six months’ worth of product.
Also available in an over-the-counter toothpaste containing NovaMin is OraviveTM Tooth Revitalizing Paste. Oravive has 50 percent less NovaMin than the prescription SootheRx. This product is currently available online or by direct phone order. Oravive toothpaste has tasty, creamy suds with light grit. Although your patients may be tempted to rinse the mouth after brushing because of the quickly subsiding after-grit, instruct them to only spit residual product for best results. Oravive Revitalizing Paste safely supplies ions to shield the tubules from stimuli and protect the tooth naturally. By using Oravive for toothbrushing, the self-repair process gets an enhanced mineral boost maximized by NovaMin elements.
Reversing the “aging process” on our teeth is exciting. Products formulated with NovaMin provide relief from exposed dentinal tooth sensitivity brought on by various etiologies. Allow NovaMin elements to spring into action and take the chill out of hypersensitivity.
Author did not receive compensation for product endorsements. To learn more about NovaMin, go to www.NovaMin.com or visit www.jbutler.com, www.omnii.com or www.oravive.com.
Karen Kaiser, RDH, graduated from St. Louis’ Forest Park dental hygiene program in 1994 and currently practices at the Center for Contemporary Dentistry in Columbia, Ill. She has written several articles for RDH and other publications, sits on dental hygiene panels, and is an evaluator for Clinical Research Associates. She can be contacted at [email protected].
