28 July 2023

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Oral health and smile aesthetics

Gianna Maria Nardi

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Providing personalized and minimally invasive clinical approaches that allow effective health maintenance cannot ignore the need of any patient who wants to have a pleasant and bright smile. 

Technological innovations make it possible to ensure the efficiency and efficacy of the operating protocols, and the deepening of the levels of attention for the health of the dental-periodontal tissues must include training aimed at the aesthetics of the smile.

The aesthetic management of the smile must start from the motivation for frequent follow-ups to allow adherence to healthy habits and lifestyle. 

First, the focus should be on oral hygiene, nutrition and not smoking.

For diehard smokers, clinicians should try a risk containment strategy, with an aim to reduce exposure to toxic substances generated by the combustion of tobacco.

The existing evidence on the impact of smoke-free products, although not risk-free, indicates that the use of such systems can decrease the incidence of negative effects on oral health. At the same time, this approach increases a patient’s awareness that the ultimate objective remains that of the total cessation of smoking.

An effective home oral hygiene management program must provide for the personalization of the treatment for the chemical control of bacterial biofilm with mouthwash, toothpastes or gels chosen based on the clinical situation and mechanical control with toothbrushes (manual, electric or sonic) and interdental brushes.

The health management of the interdental space is essential for the aesthetics of the smile. Patients often request whitening toothpastes, but the approach to the brightness of the smile must include attention to the choice of toothpastes with controlled abrasiveness, emphasizing that "abrasive" is something different from "whitening."

It is advisable to choose mouthwash molecules that do not create acquired dyschromia of origin, and to help the patient understand that using home or office whitening techniques is not risk-free and could lead to sensitive gums, for starters.

Ozone therapy with Ialozon ozonated olive oil (GEMAVIP) allows patients to keep the bacterial biofilm under chemical control with suitable advantages not only for the control of bacterial activity, but also on the accelerated process of resolution of inflammatory gingival states.

If the patient has active lesions on the surface of the enamel (ICDAS 2), it will be necessary to regenerate the enamel with the use of saliva-activated peptides, to avoid invasive rehabilitations, and then proceed with the application of the White Enamel Serum (Vardis). The related Hydroxya-Peptide 500 biomimetic technology repairs the enamel, making it bright.