THE COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF STABILIZED STANNOUS FLUORIDE DENTIFRICE, PEROXIDE BAKING SODA DENTIFRICE AND ESSENTIAL OIL MOUTHRINSE FOR THE PREVENTION OF GINGIVITIS/

This double-blind parallel-design clinical study compared the efficacy of a stabilized stannous fluoride dentifrice (Crest(R)Plus Gum Care). baking soda and peroxide (NaF) dentifrice (Mentadent(R)), and essenti al oil mouthrinse (Listerine(R)) to a conventional NaF dentifrice (Cre st(R)) for the control of plaque, gingivitis and gingival bleeding ove r six months. Following an initial baseline examination and stratifica tion. subjects received a complete oral prophylaxis and were distribut ed assigned test products. Following three and sh months, subjects re- visited the clinic for examinations. Evaluations at baseline and at 3 and 6 months included soft tissue status, Loe-Silness gingivitis/gingi val bleeding, Silness-Loe plaque and dental stain. Results subsequent to six months of product use were as follows: At six months. the stabi lized stannous fluoride dentifrice was observed to produce statistical ly significant 17.5% reductions in gingivitis and 27.5% reductions in gingival bleeding relative to the NaF dentifrice. The combination of s odium fluoride dentifrice and essential oil mouthrinse produced statis tically significant reductions of 7.4% in gingivitis and 10.8% in plaq ue as compared with the NaF dentifrice. The stabilized stannous fluori de dentifrice produced statistically significant reductions in both gi ngivitis (10.8%) and gingival bleeding (23.0%) relative to the combina tion of sodium fluoride dentifrice and essential oil mouthrinse. The b aking soda and peroxide (NaF) dentifrice did not provide reductions in gingivitis, plaque or gingival bleeding as compared with the conventi onal NaF dentifrice. The stabilized stannous fluoride dentifrice provi ded statistically significant reductions in gingivitis as compared wit h the baking soda and peroxide dentifrice following six months of use. and both the essential oil mouthrinse and stabilized stannous fluorid e dentifrice provided statistically significant reductions in gingivit is as compared with the baking soda and peroxide dentifrice following three months of use. These results support: 1) the efficacy of stabili zed stannous fluoride dentifrice and the combination of sodium fluorid e dentifrice and essential oil mouthrinse for the prevention of gingiv itis; 2) the superior activity of stabilized stannous fluoride dentifr ice as compared with a combination of sodium fluoride dentifrice and e ssential oil mouthrinse for the control of gingivitis and gingival ble eding: and 3) the lack of efficacy for baking soda and peroxide dentif rice for the control of plaque, gingivitis and gingival bleeding as co mpared with conventional fluoridated dentifrice.