Taking the Next Step for Oral Health

For dentistry, the arrival of a non-invasive, biomimetic technology that remineralizes early-stage caries marked the start of a new chapter focused on preventing disease progression. But just as Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus answered the call for treating these lesions—which previously would be left untreated as "watch areas"—via a quick, pain-free, in-office procedure, the recent launch of Curodont Protect enables patients to continue the treatment at home for further protection.

“We know that Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus works well in the office,” said Dr. Brian Nový, who has used the product extensively since its introduction in the U.S. “What Curodont Protect does is it puts this technology in the hands of the patient.”

While Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus is applied chairside with a low-viscosity, liquid formulation that diffuses into the enamel and enables salivary calcium, phosphate, and fluoride ions to begin remineralization, Curodont Protect can be applied in the office or at home. The anticavity and antisensitivity dental gel supports the uptake of calcium and phosphate ions from saliva, increasing their availability for enamel remineralization, and protects exposed dentinal tubules, helping prevent painful sensitivity.

Together, the Curodont products represent an integrated system to actively prevent disease progression in both children and adults, without downsides such as staining, poor taste, or the need for anesthesia.

Treatment Beyond the Chair

According to Dr. Nový, Curodont Protect continues the remineralization process that begins in the office with the application of Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus, fostering patient compliance and engagement while helping to maximize outcomes. Curodont Protect can be applied to all tooth surfaces and all patients, including children age 6 and up.

In addition to remineralizing, Curodont Protect can provide relief from sensitivity. “If you think about the mechanism of action, it makes sense,” Dr. Nový noted. “The sensitivity is from the demineralization that’s occurring, and this is going to tackle that.”

Although this addition to the home hygiene routine does not completely replace long-term remineralization protocols for high-risk patients, Dr. Nový sees it as a great starting point. “We can jumpstart the treatment in the office and let patients continue it at home,” he said.

Dr. Nový also sees the use of Curodont Protect as a way to reinforce oral hygiene messages with patients. “We should be explaining to patients, ‘Your other option is to take really, really good care of this lesion that has just started. If you can give up sweets and sugar and soda, brush your teeth really well and floss, and smear some extra fluoride toothpaste on your teeth before you go to bed and not spit it out, you may be able to do the same thing. But if you’re not going to follow through on all of that, we can treat this tooth now and you should still take very good care of it going forward.’”

Put like that, the choice seems obvious. “In the end, you’re improving your oral hygiene,” he explained. “And that’s leading to little tiny tweaks of your own routine that drive you toward health.”

A Time-Tested Technology

Dr. Nový, a practitioner, educator, and author on topics including cariology, noted that the vVARDIS technology behind the Curodont products may be new to some in the U.S., but its effectiveness has been demonstrated over many years of clinical use in Europe.

“This isn’t something that came out of nowhere,” he said, describing the technology as a longtime focus point for international cariologists. “We saw the initial research 11 years ago and everyone was impressed then. But now we have more real-world experience and we’re seeing that it’s doing exactly what we always thought it could do. How that’s going to impact the rate of disease is going to be really exciting to see.”

A Brighter Future for Oral Hygiene

Ultimately, Dr. Nový envisions Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus and Curodont Protect as representative of a new business model in dentistry based on in-office, personalized, therapeutic interventions for tooth decay. This, he said, can open the door to broader health initiatives.

“That little bit of time you have for a hygienist to talk to a patient about applying this product opens the door to motivational interviewing, nutritional counseling, oral hygiene instruction—all these pieces of the puzzle—because now, you’re doing a procedure to remineralize tooth structure,” he said. “And I think longer term, we’re going to see if it’s not just the therapeutic that works, it’s these other touch points that also work.”