Leading voices in oral health strengthen consensus on dental plaque biofilm management

Dental plaque biofilm-driven oral diseases continue to place avoidable burdens on patients and healthcare systems. UK oral health leaders gathered in London on 18 July 2025 to reaffirm the evidence and align on shared prevention strategies.

Hosted by consumer health company Kenvue, the event brought together representatives from the British Society of Periodontology (BSP), the Oral Health Foundation (OHF), the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT), and the British Association of Dental Therapists (BADT), alongside leading clinicians, academics and Key Opinion Leaders.

Opening the discussion, Professor Iain Chapple said: ‘We’re here today to assimilate the latest evidence from the S3-level guidelines, the Delivering Better Oral Health (DBOH) toolkit, and other sources that have changed our understanding of dental plaque biofilm-mediated diseases like periodontitis and caries. There are still many misunderstandings within the practising community, so we have brought national society leaders together to clarify the evidence and explore how we cascade this evidence consistently across the profession.’

The consensus below was developed and supported by all those in attendance and reflects a continued commitment to evidence-based practice and support for clinical education across the oral healthcare team.

Society representatives, leading clinicians and academics at the Kenvue meeting in July

Oral diseases driven by a dysbiotic dental plaque biofilm are preventable

‘Oral disease prevention is multi-dimensional and requires cost-effective population-level approaches, as well as personalised guidance throughout the life course,¹ with specific touch points at (pre-)birth, childhood, adolescence, independent adult living and assisted living. Effective self-care plays a critical role in the prevention of dental caries and gingivitis.

‘Mechanical plaque removal using a fluoride toothpaste is the mainstay of dental plaque biofilm control, but a significant proportion of the population are unable to achieve levels that stabilise gingival inflammation and dental caries activity in their mouths. In such cases, additional methods of dental plaque biofilm management should be considered: these include the use of mouthrinses containing chemical agents with proven antimicrobial capability, principally chlorhexidine (CHX), essential oils (EOs) and cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC)² and fluoride for demineralisation/remineralisation efficacy.³

‘For the use of fluoride-containing toothpaste formulations for adults, the DBOHv4 toolkit has been updated to “spit don’t rinse with water”.³ For specific antimicrobial mouthrinses,² spitting and rinsing with a fluoride mouthrinse containing at least 225 ppm fluoride after brushing helps build the salivary fluoride reservoir for dental caries prevention.⁴ If using a mouthrinse, protocols may vary, but in periodontal care, antimicrobial fluoride-containing mouthrinse use after brushing is recommended and for caries management, fluoride mouthrinse use at a different time of day is advised.’