COMPARISON OF 2 DESENSITIZING DENTIFRICES WITH A COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE FLUORIDE DENTIFRICE IN ALLEVIATING CERVICAL DENTIN SENSITIVITY

PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED efficacy of desensitizing dentifric es containing strontium acetate/sodium fluoride (SrAc2F) and potassium chloride/sodium monofluorophosphate (KCl/MFP) in alleviating discomfo rt arising from cervical dentine sensitivity (CDS). The aim of this in vestigation, therefore, was to determine efficacy of a SrAc2F dentifri ce compared with KCl/MFP and a commercially available fluoride dentifr ice containing sodium fluoride/sodium monofluorophosphate (NaMFP). Fif ty-six patients participated in a 2-center double-blind, 3-way compara tive parallel 6-week clinical study. Patients were evaluated at 0, 2, and 6 weeks for tactile (Yeaple probe), air sensitivity (dental air sy ringe), and subjective perception of pain (VAS scores). Results for Ye aple probe scores (Wilcoxon tests) between 2 weeks and baseline were h ighly significant for KCl/MFP, significant for NaMFP and nonsignifican t for SrAc2F; scores between 6 weeks and baseline were, however, highl y significant for all groups. Subjective Yeaple probe VAS scores (pair ed t-tests) between 6 weeks and baseline were significant for all grou ps; significance was demonstrated in the KCl/MFP group between 2 weeks and baseline. Subjective air visual analogue scores (paired t-tests) between 2 weeks and baseline were highly significant for all groups. T here were no significant differences between groups at any time point. The results of the study demonstrated that the commercially available fluoride-containing dentifrice was as effective as the 2 desensitizin g dentifrices in alleviating CDS over time.