Bruyère To Study New Preventive Oral Health Treatment for Canadian Seniors
11/15/2022
OTTAWA/TORONTO, November 15, 2022 — Today, Bruyère, announced a new research study on a non-invasive preventive treatment for poor oral health in older Canadians. The clinical trial will document current oral health status, identify unmet needs for oral health care in seniors, and evaluate if a new preventive treatment called Prevora, can meet these needs.
Prevora (DIN 02046245) is an antiseptic coating applied to all surfaces of the teeth, up to and including the gum line, helping manage the bacteria causing poor oral health. The treatment, which is painless and can be delivered conveniently and quickly by a hygienist or nurse without aerosols, has been shown over 20 years of controlled studies and use in Canadian dental and medical practices to be safe, effective, and well accepted by thousands of adults with a high risk of poor oral health.
Many seniors experience intermittent bleeding in the mouth, moderate to severe gum disease, and dental decay at the root surface of the tooth. These conditions are tied closely to unstable diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, confusion, frailty, hypertension, inflammation, and respiratory diseases. Consequently, poor oral health can contribute to extra visits to the doctor and even hospitalization. Preventative approaches to poor oral health could be key to avoiding compounding health problems, costly care visits, and ultimately, positively impacting quality of life.
“As the Government of Canada develops a new national dental plan for seniors in 2023, it is timely to assess what seniors need in preventive oral healthcare and how to meet this need,” said Heidi Sveistrup, PhD, CEO of the Bruyère Health Research Institute and Principal Investigator of the study. “This study is particularly exciting because it is evaluating a new, non-invasive treatment for seniors’ oral healthcare which deals with the cause of poor oral health – a change in the mix of bacteria in the dental plaque,” added Sveistrup.
The study, sponsored by CHX Technologies, will enroll up to 144 seniors with various levels of independence, general health, and frailty at the Bruyère Health Village, a site that has both independent and supported living for older adults and a long-term care home. Over a three-month period, participants will be assessed on oral health measures, and receive Prevora or a placebo treatment. Researchers will be evaluating how this preventative treatment could be beneficial for oral health by treating oral inflammation and decreasing cavities and delay, if not eliminate in some cases, the need for extractions and dentures for older adults.
Research launches today at Bruyère, with preliminary findings expected in early 2023.
About Bruyère
Through the people it serves, the specialized care it provides and the research it conducts, Bruyère plays a critical role in the Ottawa region’s health care system. It offers a wide range of services in the community, from hospital programs to long term and primary care, and supportive and independent living for seniors and vulnerable populations. In addition, Bruyère is transforming care through strengths in research, education, collaboration, and innovation. The Bruyère Health Research Institute supports investigators who contribute to a better, more responsive healthcare system that delivers the best care to patients, residents and families. To learn more, visit www.bruyere.org.
About CHX Technologies
This study is sponsored by CHX Technologies (Toronto), a research-based pharmaceutical company and developer of Prevora. CHX’s mission is to develop Prevora as a first-in-class new preventive, painless treatment for the most common and expensive chronic disease for adults – poor oral health. The company has completed a full battery of studies of Prevora in preventing dental decay and treating oral inflammation simultaneously, has approvals for Prevora in Canada, the EU and the UK, and is now partnering with healthcare organizations on integrating Prevora into the healthcare system.
For media inquiries:
Jasmine Rooke
Communications Coordinator
jrooke@bruyere.org