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Effects of tartar-control dentifrice on tooth sensitivity: a pilot study.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this three-week, double-blind pilot study was to assess the effects of a tartar-control dentifrice on tooth sensitivity.


METHOD
Fifty-six volunteer dental hygiene students completed a 14-item questionnaire regarding their oral health. Eighteen students were excluded from the study due to prior tooth sensitivity. Thirty-eight students were randomly assigned to either the experimental group using a tartar-control dentifrice (containing tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, PEG-6, disodium pyrophosphate, and tetrasodium pyrosulphate in a 5.0% soluble pyrophosphate formulation) or the control group using a regular dentifrice. Participants brushed for three weeks twice daily and then completed a post-treatment questionnaire, which included questions about tooth sensitivity. Differences between groups in reported sensitivity were measured by Fisher's Exact Test.


RESULTS
Fisher's Exact Test revealed a statistically significant difference in sensitivity experienced by the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.05), which reported no sensitivity. The phi coefficient, used to examine the strength of the relationship between tartar control paste and tooth sensitivity, was found significant at p < 0.02.


CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that patients may experience dentinal hypersensitivity when using the tartar-control toothpaste tested. Further long-term studies are required to test various brands of tartar-control dentifrice with a larger, more diverse sample for clinical measures of sensitivity.