Comparing the efficacy in reducing dentin hypersensitivity of a new toothpaste containing 8.0% arginine, calcium carbonate, and 1450 ppm fluoride to a benchmark commercial desensitizing toothpaste containing 2% potassium ion: an eight-week clinical study in Rome, Italy.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this double-blind dentin hypersensitivity clinical study was to investigate the effectiveness of a new desensitizing toothpaste containing 8.0% arginine, calcium carbonate, and 1450 ppm fluoride as sodium monofluorophosphate (MFP), compared to that of a benchmark commercially available desensitizing toothpaste containing 2% potassium ion, dosed as 5.0% potassium nitrate, and 1450 ppm fluoride as sodium fluoride (NaF). METHODS: A total of 80 subjects were entered into the study, and stratified into two balanced groups according to their baseline mean tactile and mean air blast sensitivity scores. The two groups were randomly assigned to use either the new arginine toothpaste or the benchmark commercially available desensitizing toothpaste containing 2% potassium ion. Subjects were instructed to brush their teeth twice daily (morning and evening) for one minute with their assigned toothpaste and a commercially available soft-bristled toothbrush. Dentin hypersensitivity examinations, which included tactile and air blast sensitivity measures, were conducted at baseline, one week, two weeks, four weeks, and eight weeks. Subject examinations were conducted by the same dental examiner at each examination period. RESULTS: This clinical study demonstrated that the new toothpaste, containing 8.0% arginine and 1450 ppm fluoride as MFP in a calcium carbonate base, provided a significant reduction in dentin hypersensitivity when used over a period of eight weeks. The study also showed that the new arginine toothpaste provided significantly greater reductions (p < 0.05) in dentin hypersensitivity in response to tactile (38.9%, 28.8%, and 11.6%) and air blast (16.8%, 26.4%, and 33.8%) stimuli than the benchmark commercial desensitizing toothpaste containing 2% potassium ion and 1450 ppm fluoride as NaF in a silica base, after two weeks, four weeks, and eight weeks of product use, respectively. CONCLUSION: A new toothpaste containing 8.0% arginine, calcium carbonate, and 1450 ppm fluoride as MFP provides significantly increased hypersensitivity relief (p < 0.05) as compared to a benchmark commercial desensitizing toothpaste containing 2% potassium ion, dosed as potassium nitrate, after two weeks, four weeks, and eight weeks of product use.