Tooth Decay – In-Clinic Prophy Paste for Prevention

(Image Source: https://www.adamdental.com.au/preventative/prophy/prophy-paste/voco-cleanjoy-fluoride-polishing-prophy-paste-fine-mint-4-x-100g-tubes)

What is prophy paste – and how does it differ from toothpaste?

Preventative dental care prioritises oral health screening and the removal of stains, calculus, and plaque from the teeth. The patient’s longer-term oral hygiene is highly dependent on routine, regular dental visits, and the use of the right oral hygiene products both in the clinic and at home.

Every trip to the dentist for a check-up and cleaning will involve the use of prophylaxis paste. Colloquially termed prophy paste, this is an abrasive paste applied to the crowns of the teeth to ensure they are properly cleaned and to reduce and prevent the risk of future tooth decay.

What Causes Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay is the most common chronic illness in Australia. Largely preventable, it is primarily caused by the foods and drinks we consume and our dental health habits. As many as one in three Australians of all ages have untreated tooth decay.

The mouth is a hive of bacteria. Some of these are harmful, and some of the harmful bacteria can cause tooth decay. In particular, the bacterium Streptococcus mutans uses the sugars from the food and drink we consume to create acid. This acid attacks the tooth enamel, dissolving and demineralising it and resulting in weakness and damage to the integrity of the teeth.

The result of this, if the teeth are not adequately protected, is tooth decay.

Risks of tooth decay increase due to:

• Poor oral hygiene
• Sugary diet/hidden sugars
• Frequent snacking
• Reduced saliva production
• Unbalanced oral bacteria

The risk of tooth decay can be reduced by:

• Regular brushing and flossing
• Healthy balanced diet
• Saliva
• Drinking plain water
• Fluoride
• Regular dental visits

Why Dentists Use Prophy Paste

Prophy paste has been used by dentists and dental hygienists since the 1940s to help enhance the removal of plaque, calculus, and stains from the teeth. It plays an important role in preventative dental care and before teeth whitening, orthodontic fitting, etc.

Prophy paste is used to:

• Clean the surface of the teeth
• Polish hard tissues, including restorations
• Assist in the removal of exogenous deposits

Prophy is a polishing toothpaste. It is made from pumice, fluoride, and flavouring, and is used after descaling has been completed. Unlike at-home toothpaste, prophy is much more coarse and abrasive.

Prophy pastes are differentiated based on fluoride addition, abrasive quality, and taste. The more severe the staining on the teeth, the coarser the paste abrasive used.

Additional fluoride treatment application is often the final step in a modern preventative dental visit to enhance outcomes.

Prophy can remove stains a regular toothpaste cannot, as well as reduce the risk of gingivitis and tooth decay. It also polishes the surface of the teeth for a smoother, cleaner, more pleasant feel.

Prophy Paste at Adam Dental

As a leading distributor of dental supplies in Australia, Adam Dental offers a wide selection of prophy paste products and accessories for use by dentists and associated professionals, including prophy suitable for children’s dentistry purposes.

We have prophy paste products from the following brands:

• Ainsworth
• Dental Technologies
• DentaLife
• Kerr
• Premier
• Ultradent
• VOCO

Explore our catalogue today or get in touch to learn more about how partnering with Adam Dental Supplies can benefit your practice.