Lubricoat

Early caries detection has been sited as key to optimal prevention and treatment.¹ Air Techniques’ Spectra uses fluorescence technology to aid in the detection of plaque and caries, especially early-stage enamel caries and hard-to-detect fissure caries. The lightweight handpiece has a high-resolution, high-sensitivity CCD sensor with autoexposure. The unit’s LEDs project high-energy light onto the tooth’s surface, causing cariogenic bacteria to fluoresce red and healthy enamel to fluoresce green.

Seven dentists, 5 hygienists, and 1 assistant participated in this Dental Product Shopper evaluation of Lubricoat, rating such features as ease of use, smell and taste, and ability to protect the lips and prevent sticking.

Ease of Use

According to the manufacturer, Lubricoat is less sticky, and therefore easier to use, than petroleum jelly. When asked about Lubricoat’s ease of use, 6 evaluators rated it as excellent, 5 rated it as very good, and 2 rated it as good to fair. An Illinois dentist said, “The only downside is the unusual consistency that takes a few applications to get used to.” One of the hygienist evaluators said Lubricoat “can be applied with ease,” and another said it “stayed in place well.”

Smell and Taste

DUX Dental has incorporated a soothing wintergreen fragrance into the formulation of Lubricoat. When the evaluators were asked to rate the smell and taste of Lubricoat based on feedback from their patients, 6 rated it as excellent, 4 rated it as very good, 2 rated it as good, and 1 rated it as fair. A Wayne, PA dentist described the smell and taste as strong. He went on to say that “patients reacted to this, although not necessarily negatively.” One hygienist commented on the “nice minty smell,” and another dentist evaluator called the wintergreen “very pleasant…it reminds older patients of Life Savers.”

Lip Protection

The evaluators were asked what they typically use to protect patients’ lips. Twelve of the 13 evaluators said petroleum jelly and 1 said lip balm. The evaluators were then asked to rate Lubricoat’s ability to protect their patients’ lips. Four rated lip protection as excellent, 6 rated it as very good, and 3 rated it as good.

One of the hygienist evaluators described Lubricoat as “wax-like” and that it “keeps lips from cracking.” A Snellville, GA hygienist who rated Lubricoat’s protective ability as very good, tried it on herself. She said it “made my lips feel a dry smooth.” A Kuttawa, KY hygienist with 12 years of experience called Lubricoat “great for chapped lips during the winter…patients will benefit from its use.”

Sticking Prevention

When asked what they typically use to prevent material from sticking to instruments, all 13 evaluators indicated that they use petroleum jelly. The evaluators then rated Lubricoat’s ability to prevent sticking. Twelve of the evaluators answered this question, with 9 rating it as excellent to very good and 3 rating it as good to poor. When asked about Lubricoat as an alternative to petroleum jelly, 9 evaluators rated it as excellent and 4 rated it as very good to good.

A dentist who noted that Lubricoat isn’t “as bad as [petroleum jelly] on the mirror but still smears it” also said, “My patients said they’d buy it for personal use over [petroleum jelly].” A Pennsylvania dentist in practice for 34 years called it “less sticky, easier to remove [than petroleum jelly].” A hygienist with 27 years of experience, who said petroleum jelly “makes things too slippery,” reported that she “liked the wax-like coating [because it] keeps gloves clean.”

Overall Satisfaction

Overall satisfaction with Lubricoat was rated as excellent by 2 evaluators, as very good by 6, as good by 4, and as fair by 1. A dentist in practice for 29 years called it “a good combination of application, pleasant smell, and protection.” A Fullerton, CA hygienist said it “works like a charm without the slippery feel from petroleum jelly.” The assistant who participated in this evaluation said, “I’m definitely impressed with this product.”