Dentaplex^®

CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals Launches Multivitamin Formulated to Promote Oral Health

DENTAPLEX®(TM) Designed to Help Maintain Optimal Health of the Gums and Teeth

NEWTOWN, Pa., June 19, 2001 /PRNewswire/ -- CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CGPI), today announced the availability of DENTAPLEX®(TM), a professionally-recommended nutritional supplement specifically formulated to help maintain optimal oral health. The new supplement's formulation is built on a "C-complex" of calcium, vitamin C and carotene, the group of vitamins and minerals closely associated with healthy gums and strong teeth. DENTAPLEX® will be available for sale in pharmacies, food and mass merchandise stores.

"We are pleased to offer dental professionals a nutritional supplement that they can recommend to their patients whose diets are low in the key nutrients necessary for optimal oral health," said Brian M. Gallagher, PhD, chairman, chief executive officer and president of CollaGenex. "CollaGenex is the first pharmaceutical company to support, through professional detailing and education, a nutritional product specifically formulated to help maintain oral health. DENTAPLEX® has been manufactured and tested using rigorous industry standards."

Research has demonstrated that intake of key nutrients is related to oral health. "Nutrition plays a critical role in maintaining general health as well as oral health," said Sara G. Grossi, DDS, clinical assistant professor of oral biology and director of the Periodontal Research Center at the State University of New York at Buffalo. "When evaluating nutritional intake for oral health, it is important to include those nutrients that have been demonstrated in scientific studies to be associated with the health of tooth-supporting tissues."

Dr. Grossi's research, which has been published in "The Journal of Periodontology," has explored the relationship between nutrient intake and oral health.

"To maintain optimal oral health, it is necessary to practice good daily oral hygiene, receive regular professional dental care and eat a healthy diet each day. Dental professionals should discuss nutritional supplementation with patients who have difficulty maintaining a well-balanced diet," said Dr. Grossi.

The American Dietetic Association states that nutrition is an integral part of oral health. However, experts agree that obtaining key nutrients through diet alone is a difficult, if not impossible, task for most people. A survey conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture revealed that not one of 21,000 respondents consumed at least the recommended daily allowance for ten nutrients, including many that are important for maintaining oral health.

However, a poor diet is not the only reason people may be nutritionally deficient. "Even if people are eating well, pollution, stress and various medications and medical conditions can interfere with the absorption of essential nutrients or accelerate their depletion," said Marc Lazare, DDS, a New York-based cosmetic dentist, clinical instructor at New York University College of Dentistry and member of the attending staff at North Shore University Hospital, who publishes and lectures on the relationship between nutrition and oral health.

Poor Nutrition: Who's at Risk?

Clearly, all busy adults are susceptible to poor nutrition and its many consequences, but certain groups are at greatest risk. Metabolic demands placed on the body during various life stages can cause depletions in key nutrients, especially among growing adolescents, pregnant or lactating women and the elderly. Smokers experience decreased levels of vitamin C, which is important to the body's normal immune function. Smoking also depletes vitamin B1, folic acid and calcium. Disease states, such as liver and kidney insufficiency, may result in zinc deficiency. Estrogen in birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy may cause a lowering of vitamin C blood levels and an increased need for vitamin B6. Use of histamine H2-receptor antagonists may increase the daily requirements for folic acid. Denture wearers, most of them elderly, may be deficient nutritionally because of their inability to eat enough nutrient-packed raw fruits and vegetables.