In the 18th century, before modern dentistry, the population relied on a local blacksmith or barber for teeth extraction. Since then, the field drastically evolved, and in no small part thanks to Zurich University, which was the first state institution in the world to offer a doctoral degree in dental medicine. Switzerland continues to contribute to advancing global medicine in the 21st century, and Swiss healthcare providers offer remarkably insightful solutions.
As our understanding of the field increases, the debate over the role of oral health in healthcare is growing in parallel. The dental profession has evolved independently from the rest of the medical system, and conflicts of interest abound. The industry revolves around expensive treatments alleviating pain or restoring crooked, yellow teeth. Therefore, dental care is often perceived by society as a luxury associated with beauty more than basic healthcare.
While tooth decay naturally occurs as we age, society deeply judges teeth aesthetics and stigmatizes those with dental problems. Sociologists have long studied the social implications and economic effects of poor oral health. They find tooth decay has profound consequences for how an individual is perceived. Studies show that hiring managers associate individuals suffering from dental problems with low socioeconomic status and lower intelligence. It has a direct long-term impact on careers and remuneration.
Beyond aesthetics, mouth and teeth maintenance play an essential role in human health. Oral complications cascade into a range of health problems. Periodontal disease can lead to cancer or cardiovascular diseases, amongst other complications. There is a causal explanation of how oral health issues lead to other illnesses. When minor wounds cause gingival bleeding in the mouth, bacteria originating from oral infections enter the bloodstream and are transported to the brain, heart, lungs, and other organs, leading to severe repercussions.
Ueli Breitschmid, CEO of Swiss dental company Curaden, is a passionate supporter of prophylaxis and supports preemptive action to prevent disease. He has long advocated that basic preventive care can resolve most problems before they start.
“Simple prophylaxis measures in oral care designed to preserve oral health, such as effective non-traumatic brushing of critical areas, also prevent the spread of disease. While being affordable, easily accessible, and effective, preventive measures can have an outsized impact on national healthcare spending. They reduce sickness and long term non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Such basic disease-preventing care can even lower federal healthcare costs by 30 percent in the long run,” stated Breitschmid.
Breitschmid has been on a mission to improve well-being through the family-owned company his father founded in 1954. Curaden is a fast-growing dental health company, which under the brand Curaprox, develops oral care products and services to improve lifelong oral health.
Ueli Breitschmid highlighted how, “Better hygiene, education, and simple follow-up care is all that is needed to avoid expensive procedures like periodontal treatments later in life, which even require long-term lifetime aftercare. People often underestimate the importance of cleaning hard-to-access interdental spaces, and neglecting vulnerable parts of the mouth, which leads to non-dental health issues. Changing one’s oral hygiene routine can reduce illnesses, including some related to nutrition. The future of healthcare is in prevention, and Curaden is becoming a major player of preventive thinking in the medical community, and an active partner for consumers. The ambition is to empower consumers through a range of preventive care products and support dental professionals in establishing ways to ensure that the prophylaxis services they offer are profitable and effective.”
A simple yet effective dental prophylaxis tool manufactured in Switzerland by Curaden and exported globally is its range of colorful manual toothbrushes. They have become an unmistakable Swiss design icon. The timeless classic design incorporates a tremendous number of modern bristles made of ultra-thin filaments with soft rounded ends that prevent common brushing damage.
A more contemporary approach is the electric toothbrush, which was invented in Switzerland. Modern electric toothbrushes are effective at removing plaque through vibration and oscillation. The newest developments in this field are ultrasonic toothbrushes, which create micro-bubbles that gently remove bacteria biofilm through sonic vibrations. Curaden recommends their Hydroponic electric toothbrush to people with periodontal disease, bacterial plaque, or a history of dental decay.
“Switzerland can continuously innovate thanks to an impressive ecosystem that encourages knowledge transfer between academia and the private sector.”
According to Christine Breitschmid, Sales Manager Curaprox Switzerland, “Switzerland can continuously innovate thanks to an impressive ecosystem that encourages knowledge transfer between academia and the private sector. In addition, the national apprenticeship arrangement benefits the ecosystem tremendously by instilling practical knowledge that enables future generations to succeed. When it comes to Curaden, we proudly mentor several apprentices and try to contribute to Switzerland’s innovative ecosystem. While the Pentagon’s state-of-the-art hypersonic missile technology is more advanced than our Hydrosonic toothbrush, Curaden strives for Switzerland to bring new levels of know-how to oral health.”