The origins of Orotol
The invention of Orotol in 1965 prepared the way for long-term use of dental suction systems. This is because organic substances, such as blood, saliva and dentine, that unavoidably enter the system during suctioning are breeding grounds for bacteria and fungi. Long-term operation is possible only with use of a special product for cleaning and disinfection. Despite numerous challenges, the inventors spared no efforts to develop a product that would meet this need. At first, development and production were performed in a bathroom at home. It was here that company founder Walter Dürr and his friend Ludwig Pflug finally created the perfect product for the suction systems: Orotol.

The special expertise behind it
The key to finding a successful solution was to perfectly tailor the cleaning and disinfection agent to the special challenges posed by a suction system: it needed to work effectively with cold water and without foaming. Hot water would be fatal in a suction system, as the proteins present from saliva and blood already start to coagulate at 40°C, which could lead to blockages. This is comparable to a fever in the human body, which can be life-threatening at around 40°C or higher. In addition, even a highly effective disinfectant can cause more harm than good to the suction system if it foams. Foaming not only gets in the way during the suction process, in the worst case it can cause system failure. Consequently, the rule even today is that hot water and foaming agents (e.g. household detergents) should never be used inside a suction system.

A worldwide success
This new product was the first disinfectant for suction systems at the time, and even today Orotol plus remains the most-used product in this area. But the invention of Orotol  was not only an important milestone and enabler for long-term use of dental suction systems – it also marked the launch of the Hygiene business sector at Dürr Dental. For 60 years, the company has been dedicated to finding solutions for infection prevention and dental practice hygiene and today is a leading supplier, with Dürr Dental hygiene systems sold not just in Germany but in over 100 countries worldwide.

Innovation Made in Germany
What keeps customers coming back is the outstanding quality and reliability of Dürr Dental hygiene products. New innovative products are regularly added to the company’s portfolio to meet the ever new challenges of dental practices. In the field of suction system hygiene, these include MD 555 cleaner, a special cleaner for suction systems, as well as the OroCup care system and the environmentally friendly product variants MD 555 cleaner organic and Orotol plus pH 7. But one thing has never changed: all the products in the Dürr Dental hygiene systems are still produced only in Germany.

Orotol anniversary competition for practice teams
Take part in our competition and, with a little luck, look forward to a customised team event for your practice.

Celebrate now and win