Oral Care: Gentle, Vegan

The oral care products from Rowpar Pharmaceuticals serve not only the general consumer but those with special needs as well. ClōSYS is its innovative oral healthcare line, with products that are alcohol-free, sulfate-free and pH balanced. Says James Ratcliff, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Rowpar, “We are pleased to know that our products can be used by patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, have genetic disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, Crones disease, or lichen planus, or are taking drugs that may lead to oral sores and inflammation, such as osteoporosis medications.” Additionally, with its strict No Animal Testing policy, ClōSYS products are 100-percent vegan. Testing, however, is rigorous, and Ratcliff points out ClōSYS products carry the ADA Seal of Acceptance, which not all oral care products do.

Also important, Ratcliff notes, is what ClōSYS doesn’t do: It doesn’t interfere with the healing process as do many oral care products based on alcohol, Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), chlorhexidine (CHX) or triclosan. “We want people to know not only that they are using the most effective oral care products available but also ones that don’t burn or sting or stain, that don’t kill the bacteria in the yogurt you just ate, and don’t kill the bacteria that help you digest foods.”

ClōSYS is different from other oral care products in a number of ways, says Ratcliff, explaining the common ingredient in all ClōSYS products, Cloralstan^® (stabilized chlorine dioxide), is naturally activated by saliva and acids produced by oral bacteria; is able to penetrate mature oral biofilms, including dental plaque, that shield oral pathogens from the effects of most oral care products; is able to kill and control the major oral pathogens associated with gum disease and major systemic diseases; and is able to prevent the regrowth of plaque and oral pathogens for up to 36 hours.

Founded by Ratcliff’s father, Perry A. Ratcliff, D.D.S., a pioneer in the field of periodontology and dental research, Rowpar is a local company with a national and international reach. Part of the Scottsdale “Cure Corridor,” it hasprovided internships to students at Arizona State University and the University of Arizona and has built research relationships with A.T. Still and Midwestern University Schools of Dentistry. Says Ratcliff, “There is a great pool of experienced talent in Arizona from which we have built a dedicated team to build the ClōSYS brand. Along the way, we have learned and been supported by efforts to build the technology and bioscience sectors of the Arizona economy, by the efforts to establish life science and healthcare sectors in Phoenix and Scottsdale.”