The tooth and nothing but: Oral health affects overall health

Former US President Bill Clinton and actor Tom Cruise are among the famous people who use it. Its popularity has spread by word of mouth – make that contented mouths – that it now counts over 15 million consumers all over the world. We’re talking about Philips’ Sonicare Elite toothbrush that’s got the dental world bristling with excitement.

"It’s very exciting to brush with Sonicare," says Lenze Boonstra, director of marketing communications, Philips Domestic Appliances and Personal Care (DAP) Asia Pacific, who shares a mouthful about oral health as one of the highlights of the Philips media event held recently in Philips Singapore. "A lot of people are passionate about Sonicare. A recent study shows that nine out of 10 users like Sonicare Elite so much they don’t want to give it up."

But who really talks about toothbrushes? You will, once you’ve tried Sonicare. Like members of media from all over Asia, including this writer, who recently had an exhilarating brush with advanced technology that’s bound to take anyone’s (bad) breath away.

Having brushed our teeth of the last morsel of the hearty breakfast we had at our hotel Royal Plaza on Scotts, we proceed to one of the conference rooms – armed to the teeth with our toothpaste smiles – for a little talk on yet another revolutionary product by Philips.

To introduce everyone to Sonicare is Lenze Boonstra, the main man behind the Philips Shaver Bond global marketing communication campaign. Boonstra helped secure the partnership of Philips shavers with the James Bond movie Die Another Day – well, Philips must have shaved the day for James Bond.

"Since Philips was founded 115 years ago, it has committed itself to making products that meet people’s everyday needs," Boonstra tells us.

Those products include domestic appliances, personal care products and, yes, healthcare products.

"We see something more than a smile," says a beaming Boonstra. "We see a smile of good health. Sonicare is an investment in your overall health."

Let’s talk about oral health. Did you know that oral hygiene affects overall health? Poor oral health can wreak havoc elsewhere in the body. The tooth of the matter is, periodontists (those who treat periodontal or gum diseases) do know that periodontal disease is a bacterial infection and infections are something not to be taken lightly. One such serious infection is periodontitis, a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and the bones supporting the teeth. The toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque (that nasty, sticky film that forms on your teeth and for which you have to go to your dentist for that annual prophylaxis) not only affect your gums but can also cause disease in other parts of your body. Periodontal bacteria can enter the bloodstream and travel to major organs, leading to new infections.

Based on research, did you know that periodontal diseases may:

• Double the risk of a heart disease or stroke? (One theory goes that oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream, attaching themselves to fatty acids in the coronary arteries and contributing to clot formation.)

• Pose a serious risk to people suffering from diabetes? (Studies show that diabetics are more susceptible to developing oral infections and periodontal disease than non-diabetics.)

• Increase the risk of a pregnant woman having a preterm, low birth weight baby?

Do you have any of these symptoms: Persistent red, swollen or bleeding gums; pain or tooth sensitivity; bad breath; receding gums; pus or discharge between teeth and gums; mouth sores?

See your dentist right away. "Good oral health is an integral part of overall health," Boonstra stresses. This is particularly important to people with diabetes or heart disease and women who are pregnant or plan to get pregnant.

There are ways – invasive and non-invasive – of treating periodontal diseases. But Boonstra would rather talk about prevention. We can keep our gums healthy if, among other things, we stick to a tooth-friendly lifestyle such as by adopting a good daily oral healthcare regimen; brushing with an appropriate toothbrush – like Sonicare, but then again, it’s more than a toothbrush; following a balanced diet and nutrition; limiting or stopping alcoholic consumption and smoking; exercising regularly; and going for regular dental checkups.

"Stop brushing and start Sonicare," Boonstra admonishes his audience, their eyes widening and their jaws dropping. "Sonicare is backed by 85 clinical and lab studies in over 40 universities and institutes worldwide."

From the Sonicare Elite fact sheet, we learn that:

• Sonicare gives naturally whiter teeth and healthier gums (significantly reducing coffee, tea, and tobacco stains).

• With Sonicare, you get excellent plaque removal, especially in hard-to-reach areas between teeth and below the gum line.

• No other toothbrush works like Sonicare with a unique, patented combination of high-speed bristle motion and fluid action for superior interproximal plaque removal in hard-to-reach areas (vs a manual toothbrush).

• It is proven to reduce gingivitis; is safe and gentle on the gums.

Its unique features include:

• Superior cleaning technology combines a slim, angled neck; tapered brush head; contoured bristles and ultra-high bristle speed for hard-to-reach areas.

• New dual speed control option allows users to choose either high for optimal brushing power or low for sensitive areas, tongue brushing, and gum massage.

• New recharge gauge provides visual indications of battery charge status and blinks to alert users when it is time to recharge.

• New ergonomic slim, tapered handle provides soft-touch grip that improves brushing maneuverability.

Among the standard features are: a two-minute Smartimer to help ensure dentist-recommended brushing time; a Quadpacer to signal consumers every 30 seconds to move to another mouth quadrant, ensuring thorough cleaning in all areas of the mouth; an Easy-Start to allow for gentle increases in brushing power over first 12 uses, helping users get accustomed to power tooth brushing.

Sonicare Elite comes with a handle, brush head, travel case, charger base, brush head holder, and a two-year warranty.

Of course, you don’t have to take Philips’ word for it. You just have to try it – and we’re about to do just that. But first, we’re asked to help ourselves to a plateful of sinful Kisses chocolates. Doubly yummy! The penance for that indulgence is no, not a place in Dante Aligheiri’s inferno, but a trip to the washroom to try Sonicare Elite.

We make a dash for the ladies’ room, each armed with our own Sonicare toothbrush. Brush, brush, brush your teeth! Brushing teeth has never been this fun! It’s a breathtaking experience, to say the least.

After that most refreshing lecture-demo, a lot of us could only mouth praises for the product. Surely, this revolutionary technology is not something you’d brush aside.