CLINICAL EVALUATION OF AN IN-OFFICE APPLICATION OF TWO COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE DENTIFRICES ON DENTINE HYPERSENSITIVITY IN CHRONIC PERIODONTITIS PATIENTS

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of an in-office application of desensitizing paste containing 8% arginine calcium carbonate and 5% potassium nitrate paste on dentine hypersensitivity in chronic Periodontitis patients.

Materials and methods: A randomized double blind clinical trial was done in 60 chronic Periodontitis patients presenting hypersensitivity. All the patients were subjected to scaling and randomly assigned into two groups for in-office application of either 8% arginine calcium carbonate desensitizing paste (Group 1- 30 patients) or 5% potassium nitrate desensitizing paste (Group 2- 30 patients). Air blast hypersensitivity was assessed by Schiff scale at baseline, immediately post scaling and post application of desensitizing paste, 2 and 4 weeks. Clinical parameters including: full mouth plaque score (FMPS), sulcus bleeding index (SBI), clinical attachment level (CAL) and probing pocket depth (PD) were assessed at baseline and 4 weeks. The study was approved by institutional ethical committee. Data were analysed by using commercially available statistical software SPSS (P<0.05).

Results: Group 1 patients showed highly significant reduction in hypersensitivity from baseline to 4 weeks when compared to Group 2 patients.

Conclusion: The single in-office application of the 8% arginine calcium carbonate desensitizing paste  (Colgate sensitive pro-relief®)after scaling provided significant reduction in dentine hypersensitivity when compared to 5% potassium nitrate desensitizing paste (Sensodent-k®) which sustained over a 4 week period.

Keywords: Dentin hypersensitivity, Arginine-calcium carbonate, Potassium nitrate, clinical trial, desensitizing paste, Periodontitis.