THE COMPARATIVE CLINICAL EFFICACY OF PYROPHOSPHATE TRICLOSAN, COPOLYMER/TRICLOSAN AND ZINC CITRATE/TRICLOSAN DENTIFRICES FOR THE REDUCTION OF SUPRAGINGIVAL CALCULUS FORMATION/

Three triclosan-containing ''multi-benefit'' dentifrices were compared for clinical efficacy in reducing supragingival calculus formation fo llowing a dental prophylaxis. A total of 544 subjects completed a doub le-blind parallel-group clinical study using the Volpe-Manhold Index: (VMI) to record severity and occurrence of supragingival calculus. The study design included a pre-test period where the calculus formation rate was measured in subjects brushing with a placebo dentifrice. Foll owing a prophylaxis. subjects were stratified for age, gender and VMI scores and assigned to one of four treatments: 1) a dentifrice contain ing 5.0% soluble pyrophosphate/0.145% fluoride as NaF/silica abrasive/ 0.28% triclosan (hereafter PPi/TCS-comparable to Crest(R) Complete den tifrice. Procter & Gamble. UK): 2) a commercial dentifrice containing 2.0% Gantrez(TM) acid copolymer/0.145% fluoride as NaF/silica abrasive /0.30% triclosan (hereafter Gan/TCS-Colgate(R) Total dentifrice. Colga te-Palmolive Company, UK): 3) a commercial dentifrice containing 0.5% zinc citrate trihydrate/0.15% fluoride as sodium monofluorophosphate/s ilica abrasive/0.20% triclosan (hereafter Zn/TCS-Mentadent(R) P dentif rice. Unilever, UK); and 4) a control dentifrice comprised of 0.145% f luoride as NaF/silica abrasive (hereafter Control). Subjects were inst ructed to use their assigned dentifrice at least twice per day and to brush as they do normally. Supragingival calculus formation was assess ed at two and four months using site-specific and whole-mouth VMI indi ces for both calculus severity and occurrence. Following four months o f use. the PPi/TCS dentifrice provided statistically significant reduc tions in calculus severity (22-23%) and occurrence (15%) as compared w ith the Control dentifrice. The Zn/TCS dentifrice also provided signif icant reductions in calculus severity (17-19%) and occurrence (12-13%) as compared with the Control. The Gan/TCS produced no statistically s ignificant reductions in calculus formation (occurrence or severity) c ompared with the Control. The PPi/TCS dentifrice provided statisticall y significant reductions in calculus severity (15-21%) and occurrence( 12-16%) as compared with the Gan/TCS dentifrice. These results support the clinical effectiveness of PPi/TCS and Zn/TCS dentifrices for the reduction of supragingival dental calculus formation following a denta l prophylaxis.