The most important part of any treatment is the initial diagnosis. Obviously, treatment can only be as accurate as the diagnostic information it is based on. The Oravital® System is uniquely successful in treating oral infection because our innovative diagnostic protocol uses uniquely accurate methods.
Since oral infections like gum disease and halitosis are caused by microscopic bacteria, it is best to examine these causes using the services of a highly trained microbiologist. That is why Oravital® treatment starts with microbiology samples of a patient's oral biofilm.
Studies have shown that oral diseases are caused by shifts in the balance of the resident microflora. Bacteria that are usually found in small numbers become predominant due to a change in their environment, causing periodontal disease to occur. Gram stain is one of the most useful staining procedures because it classifies bacteria into two large groups according to whether their cells are Gram-positive or Gram-negative, and whether they are rod, coccal or spiral shaped. Since bacteria that are active in periodontal disease and bad breath are predominantly gram-negative anaerobic bacteria, the clinician can determine the most appropriate treatment and develop preventive strategies.
Samples are taken from the base of the tongue, the top of the tongue and between the teeth, and placed on three separate sections of a glass slide. Slides are sent to the Oravital® Microbiology Lab to be stained with Gram stain and examined for bacteria, yeast and white blood cells. A detailed report is prepared on the types and numbers of oral microbia found in the samples, and this information is sent to the dental office. These reports form a component of a comprehensive diagnosis for each client, enabling the clinician to select an appropriate treatment based on the presence of types of bacteria.
Antibiotic sensitivity is a term used to describe the susceptibility of oral bacteria to antibiotics. For this test we will supply the requisitioning clinic with a small vial containing Reduced Transport Fluid. A patient's oral biofilm sample is to be placed into the vial and sent back to the Oravital® Microbiology Lab.
In the lab we apply the biofilm sample onto an agar test plate. Small disks containing Oravital® System antibiotics and others most commonly used in dental practice are placed on the agar, and the plate is incubated. If the biofilm is sensitive to a particular antibiotic, there will be no bacterial growth around the disk.
This procedure measures susceptibility of the patient's biofilm to the selected antibiotics. This provides information as to the best antibiotic to prescribe for this patient and to assess any bacterial resistance. In those cases that do not respond to the antibiotic rinses (and these are fairly rare), we would be able to advise as to the best antibiotic to use. Other uses would be to establish the best treatment for abscesses or for root canal clearance.
