Eliminate hypersensitivity and your patients will keep coming back
For many of us, it’s hard to imagine not knowing how to care for your teeth, but Lee Goodloe, RDH, BSDH, is used to that being the case with his patients. In the 5 years he’s been a hygienist in a general dentistry office, he’s seen all types of patients in a broad scope of demographics and socioeconomic levels. “I see patients from just a few months old to over 100 years old,” Goodloe said. “And I’m here to enlighten them each and every day.”
Goodloe typically recommends Profluorid Varnish to patients with hypersensitivity or high caries rate. If a patient has had a deep cleaning and there are cervical areas where the cementum or root surface is exposed, or if the patient complains about hypersensitivity after the procedure, Goodloe knows fluoride varnish will provide relief.
Goodloe also promotes Profluorid Varnish to kids or patients who cannot expectorate or may swallow toothpaste. “I always recommend it for kids who can’t spit, because they will ingest less fluoride if we use the varnish instead of another delivery system.” This group includes small children and disabled individuals who have a hard time spitting. While it varies, children start to develop the ability to spit between ages 3 and 5. Because fluoride is not applied until the end of a prophy appointment, Goodloe can watch how well a patient can spit out water or tolerate suction, and uses that information to gauge whether he needs to recommend fluoride treatment, and what type would be best. Often, fluoride varnish is the obvious choice because the practitioner has control over the quality and quantity of the application, leaving the patient free to forget about it once it has set.
Patients Can Appreciate It
Profluorid Varnish is a 5% sodium fluoride varnish available in SingleDose units. It has high immediate-fluoride release to relieve hypersensitivity quickly. It is easy to apply, 100% transparent, and, according to Goodloe, has some unique flavors. “The flavors are getting a whole lot better. Caramel is the one I like the most. You can always find mint and cherry, but the caramel flavor is a little different,” Goodloe says. “Also, there is no aftertaste. I think a lot of patients can appreciate that, too.”
Goodloe has a systematic approach to applying Profluorid Varnish, which does not require drying the teeth before application. He asks the patient to swallow, then applies the varnish on the back mandibular teeth first, quickly progressing to the bottom front teeth. “If the patient begins to accumulate saliva, it’s going to start there, so by the time I’m done and moving on to the maxillary teeth, it’s not a problem if saliva is pooling. That’s why I use this method,” he explains. “You should not use the saliva ejector as you apply fluoride varnish because it can clog the lines, and I don’t want to spend time digging the residue out of the lines. That’s another reason why I start at the bottom and work my way to the top.”
Standing Up to Hypersensitivity
In Goodloe’s experience, patients who have hypersensitivity due to cervical root exposure report that the sensitivity is gone more than 90% of the time when they return for subsequent appointments. This is beneficial to the practice because these patients do not avoid their recalls.
“They are really grateful, and thankful that we’ve figured out a way to get rid of the sensitivity. Many of them think the scaling is what made their teeth sensitive and decide they never want to do that again,” Goodloe says. “Once they see that Profluorid Varnish will reduce sensitivity if it’s painted on correctly, they will always want to have that service done.”
Goodloe typically offers Profluorid Varnish treatments to patients twice a year if they have difficulty with oral hygiene or hypersensitivity. He does a plaque index at every 6-month appointment and usually finds them to be really high because these patients do not or cannot clean their teeth the way they need to. In addition, if a patient comes back to recall visits with cavities each time, he knows for a fact that they are not cleaning their teeth effectively at home. “We know the bacteria in that plaque can lead to cavities, and that the fluoride can help inhibit it from causing caries.” Profluorid 
Varnish also contains xylitol, which further inhibits bacteria formation and growth.
“Profluorid Varnish has withstood the test of time,” Goodloe concludes. “It is very easy to use, it doesn’t need to be light cured, it’s transparent, and we see its benefits every time a patient comes to his or her next appointment.”
