CINCINNATI — Procter & Gamble Co.’s oral care division has introduced the Crest Pro-Health System, a simple product and care regimen to maintain oral hygiene.

Presented by Procter & Gamble Oral Care at the 2009 Greater New York Dental Meeting, the three-step system is designed to keep consumers virtually plaque free during the holiday season, when people typically indulge in sweets and other foods that tend to cling to or get caught in between teeth, according to P&G.

"The sugary, sticky qualities of many holiday treats can mean bad news for the health of our teeth. But it’s not just the sugar content of any particular food that you should worry about," explains Dr. Robert Gerlach, DDS, MPH, Research Fellow, of P&G Worldwide Clinical Investigations. "The ability of a food to stick to teeth and the longer it clings to teeth provides a long-lasting source of ‘fuel’ for the bacteria in your mouth, allowing the bacteria to grow in the plaque within your mouth, produce acid and cause enamel wear."

The results can include bad breath as well as more serious conditions such as tooth decay and gum disease.

To provide well-rounded oral care, the Pro-Health System consists of the following products: Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000 with SmartGuide power toothbrush, Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste and Crest Pro-Health Rinse.

The coupling of mechanical action and chemical action enables the Pro-Health System to virtually eliminate plaque and help keep consumers nearly plaque free, according to P&G Oral Care.

The mechanical action, Oral-B’s oscillating-rotating technology, loosens and sweeps away plaque to provide superior plaque removal benefits, while stabilized stannous fluoride in Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste inhibits the metabolic activity of destructive bacteria. Meanwhile, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) in Crest Pro-Health Rinse inhibits the regrowth of plaque biofilm to provide the chemical action.

According to the company, twice daily use of Crest Pro-Health toothpaste and rinse is proven to help prevent plaque regrowth.