Hyaluronic acid in periodontal treatment

This episode is sponsored by PerioVive.

On this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, presented by dvm360, which was recorded live at Fetch National Harbor in Maryland, take a deep dive into the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) in veterinary dentistry with Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DAVDC. Learn why HA is an essential tool for enhancing tissue healing and regeneration in periodontal pockets and extraction sites, and even has emerging uses for stomatitis. Lobprise also explains to host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, and listeners the mechanism of action, proper preparation, and why HA is a cost-effective, powerful addition to dental procedures.

Below is a partial transcript, edited lightly for clarity.

Adam Christman, DVM, MBA: I want to know a little bit more about this, and so I can't think of anyone better than a boarded veterinary dentist to talk to us about this. So before we begin, let's actually talk about what [it is].

Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DACVD: Hyaluronic acid. Now, since that's a little hard for me to say, I have trouble with my [letter R's], we're going to say 'HA' from now on. Is that OK?

Christman: Sounds good to me.

Lobprise: Okay, good. So the thing of it is, HA is a component of the extracellular matrix. So as you look at all cells, it knows this. It's natural to the cells. In addition, it's been used in many different forms, for injectable, topical, eye ulcers, you name it. It's really a good compound, because it lays a good groundwork to help with healing with endogenous cells.

Christman: Fantastic. So what are some indications for it then?

Lobprise: In a dental disease, periodontal disease, anything that needs healing. So if I've done an extraction, it might help with those areas that I want to heal when I have periodontal pockets, and I've done some root planing, especially in those moderate pockets where I want to get the best tissue healing and regeneration. I'll use it in those pockets. I can also use it in extraction sites, and even with some regenerative types.

Christman: Nice. I do think of those extraction sites, because whenever…[we] generalists, when we do those dentals on the canines, and…we're like, "Oh, we have some of those deep holes that are in there." So I'm sure it would be great to have HA in there.