Summary: OraCare has introduced Ortho Protect, a home care rinse with four key ingredients—chlorine dioxide, poloxamer 407, calcium lactate, and xylitol—designed to enhance oral health by preventing plaque accumulation, strengthening enamel, and eliminating harmful bacteria.

Key Takeaways:

  • Ortho Protect uses chlorine dioxide, poloxamer 407, calcium lactate, and xylitol to target bacteria, enhance remineralization, and reduce plaque build-up.
  • The rinse’s unique formulation aims to improve home oral care by offering a comprehensive approach to dental health for orthodontic patients.

OraCare has released Ortho Protect, a home care rinse formulated with compounds to help improve home oral care and prevent potential issues.

Key Ingredients of Ortho Protect

Ortho Protect is a 2-part rinse featuring 4 key ingredients:

  • Chlorine dioxide to kill decay-causing bacteria and break up biofilm.
  • Poloxamer 407 to create a smooth tooth surface that is more difficult for plaque to adhere to.
  • Calcium lactate to make calcium available to the patient’s teeth.
  • Xylitol to assist with remineralization and elimination of bacteria.

Benefits of Chlorine Dioxide

According to the company, chlorine dioxide can break down the toughest microorganisms and biofilms with no corrosive action or negative impacts on the oral environment. Its efficacy is not impacted by the condition of the environment, most notably regarding pH levels and the presence of organic matter. Chlorine dioxide can kill decay-causing bacteria that affect orthodontic patients.

Advantages of Poloxamer 407

Poloxamer 407 demonstrates bioadhesive characteristics, meaning it sticks to biological surfaces such as oral mucous membranes. According to OraCare, this facilitates the active compounds’ prolonged retention at the application location, enhancing their efficacy. For example, Poloxamer 407 makes sure that chlorine dioxide stays in the oral cavity longer when mixed with this substance. This aids in maximizing the influence of chlorine dioxide on oral health.

Additionally, poloxamers also reduce surface tension by increasing the “spreading and wetting properties” of products. This creates a “slippery” surface that plaque has trouble building on, thereby minimizing the amount of plaque accumulation on tooth surfaces and brackets and wires.

Role of Calcium Lactate

Calcium lactate is a bioavailable form of calcium that can contribute to the remineralization of tooth enamel, helping to repair early signs of tooth decay and strengthen teeth, according to OraCare. It functions by making more calcium ions available in the mouth, which the enamel may absorb to strengthen and repair the tooth’s structure. It can also neutralize pH levels and buffer oral acids to enhance the saliva’s defensive properties.

Effectiveness of Xylitol

Lastly, xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol that cannot be metabolized by the bacteria commonly found in the mouth, such as Streptococcus mutans. When these bacteria encounter xylitol, they attempt to consume it as they would regular sugar. However, xylitol disrupts their normal metabolic processes, according to OraCare. It interferes with the bacteria’s ability to produce energy, effectively starving them and inhibiting their growth and reproduction.

Because the bacteria cannot thrive or multiply in the presence of xylitol, their numbers decrease, and with less bacteria, there is less acid production, reducing the risk of enamel erosion.